Rites LP

Description

Killer Groove Records presents Rites, the second album by Turin's Electric Circus: '70s jazz-funk, Afrobeat and psychedelia with a cinematic streak. Born out of late-night jam sessions Rites (due out November 27th, 2026 on limited-edition LP, CD digipak and digital formats) unfolds like a sequence of scenes from an imaginary film. Drawing on library music, 1970s crime soundtracks, dub and jazz-funk, the record moves between instinctive improvisation and tightly constructed arrangements. Rather than telling a single story, it opens a series of nocturnal visions and symbolic rituals, leaving the listener to complete the narrative. It begins with "Smasher," a slow-burning ride through neon-lit streets where thick grooves and vocoder textures evoke the humid nights of an imaginary Vice City. "Mutual Convenience" grows out of a dreamy intro into full Afrobeat, horns turning a subtle motif into a collective statement. "High Fever" raises the temperature with Meters-inspired funk, dub echoes and swirling keyboards, while "Peter" sets organic Afro-funk rhythms against vintage synthesizers, sketching a crime sci-fi setting suspended between tension and nostalgia. At the center of the album, "Ogres" turns darker: Ethiopian scales, obsessive rhythms and psychedelic textures conjure a twilight march of mysterious creatures before dissolving into a hazy finale. The mood lifts with "Butter Chicken," a tribute to the meal that fueled the sessions, wrapping its Afro-funk groove in warm, colorful melodies. "Expiration" pushes forward on wah-wah guitars, saxophone and restless rhythms until they collapse into a single exhausted breath. The final act opens with "King of Beggars," a hypnotic desert-psych excursion where urban reality and surreal imagery coexist. Closing the record, "Azazel" returns to the intimacy of a campfire: acoustic guitar, fretless bass and Tom Newton's harmonica (one of the finest Italian harmonica players of the new generation) build toward a cathartic crescendo before fading into silence. Rites was recorded in multiple stages between Metrò Rec Studio in Riva del Garda and Sberdia Studio in Turin, starting with live takes of the core arrangements and continuing with dedicated sessions for synths, horns and overdubs. This layered process allowed for meticulous production work, involving reamping, tube amplifiers and analog effects, in a near-obsessive pursuit of the most accurate and defined tones. The band co-produced the record with Marco Sirio Pivetti, who also handled the mix, while mastering was entrusted to Riccardo Ricci at Velvet Room Mastering Studio in Brighton. Based in Turin, Italy, Electric Circus deliver a musical experience that blends funk groove, afrobeat, psychedelia and world music. Following a U.S. tour and several international collaborations, the group earned critical and audience acclaim with their debut album Canicola. Their artistic evolution led to On est ensemble, an EP created with Malian duo Sahel Roots, highlighting their deep affinity for African sounds and musical roots, weaving them together with funk, blues and psychedelic elements. Building on these experiences, Electric Circus now channel all their influences into new compositions driven by a strong groove-oriented vision, built on a live, rhythm-first aesthetic that rewards repeated listening. Rites, due out via Killer Groove Records, brings together funk, afrobeat and psychedelia in an immersive musical experience built on a sound that is both multifaceted and cohesive, sharpening the band's identity into something harder to ignore. Fans of The Heliocentrics, Calibro 35, BADBADNOTGOOD, '70s jazz-funk, afrobeat and psychedelic sounds, take note.