We’re delighted to announce our 3rd studio album “Rituals” is out now on Severn Songs Ishmael Ensemble’s third long player “Rituals” marks a significant leap for the Bristolian musicians. With their live-instrumentation-meets-electronic merging of styles, the group were always broader than the ‘new UK jazz’ tag which they were often given, but here their scope and boundary-pushing ambition is more evident than ever before.
Still maintaining a blend of spiritual jazz, dub, experimental and electronic soundscapes, here those elements are vigorously whipped-up into huge cyclones of sound, more song-based and accessible than before, but also almost psychedelic in its euphonic blend of colours, textures, facets and moods.
It’s by far our most ambitious work to date, written over the last 3 years, this one has been a real labour of love. I knew I wanted to do something different this time round, I wanted to capture those moments of pure elation & euphoria we’ve shared on stage as well as those moments of raw & intimate fragility we’ve experienced off it…
“Rituals” was written as an album, a long player, and I hope, at least once, you’ll listen to it that way…
released September 6th, 2024
Written by Ishmael Ensemble
Pete Cunningham – Vocals, Saxophone, Synths
Holly Wellington – Vocals, Piano, Synths
Stephen Mullins – Guitars
Jake Spurgeon – Bass, Backing Vocals, Synths
Rory O’Gorman – Drums, Percussion
Taken from the new album “Rituals”
The Fat Angel Sings 