Jon Hopkins: A new 41-minute ceremonial epic
Described as “at times devotional, enlightening and educational”Jon Hopkins' new album, “Ritual,” out August 30, presents itself as a ceremonial epic of 41 minutes built on cavernous subwoofers, hypnotic rhythms and transcendent melodic playing. Tense, engaging and ultimately triumphant, it is the culmination of themes explored throughout 22 year career and represents the kinetic counterpart of “Music For Psychedelic Therapy” from 2021 (here is our review).
A unique work that develops in eight chapters: the album is characterized by depth and contrasts. Taking ceremony, spiritual liberation and the hero's journey as inspiration, it taps into an ancient and primordial energy,” reads the project's launch note. Speaking about “Ritual”, the British composer explains: “I have no idea what I'm doing when I compose. I don't know where it's coming from or where it's going, but it doesn't seem to matter. I just know when it's finished. All I can do is feel my way to the end, then try to retrospectively analyze what might happen and try to understand what its purpose is. What is clear is that this has the structure of a ritual. I know what this ritual is for me, but for you it will be something different. It's important not to be prescriptive.”
Then he continues: “It looks like a tool, maybe even a machine to open portals into the inner world, to unlock hidden and buried things. Things that are held in place by the tension of the body. It therefore doesn't seem like “an album”, but rather a process to follow, something that works on ourselves. At the same time, it feels like it's telling a story. Maybe it's the story of the process I'm going through and we're all going through. Perhaps it is also the story of creation, destruction and transcendence. Maybe it's the story of the archetypal hero's journey.” Hopkins meanwhile shared “Ritual (evocation)” with the breathtaking video created by Dave Bullivant in collaboration with the composer himself. With the participation of long-time collaborators Vylana, 7RAYS, Ishq, Clark, Emma Smith, Daisy Vatalaro and Cherif Hashizume, “Ritual” was released in the second half of 2023but the initial seeds were sown in 2022, when Hopkins was commissioned to compose the music for the “Dreamachine” immersive experience in London, created by Collective Act in collaboration with a team of artists, scientists and philosophers. The project, which had a character from the beginning ceremonialwas the embryonic work of the new album.