We recently featured Benjamin Corson for his multi-dimensional, immersive and intricate debut record, Mirage, so when we heard that he had just released a brand new composition called The Ritual, we couldn’t wait to experience it!
Enticing us with the lighting of a flame, Benjamin Corson opens The Ritual with intricate sound design before immersive tones and a bold chant start to intrigue us further.
The opus takes on a (naturally) ritualistic energy as the artist chants a version of the iconic Nichiren Buddhist mantra, “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō” with rising percussion details and an industrial echo. As a cerebral riser draws us in, we experience a celestial tone and the sound of a baby crying, which possibly signifies birth.
A narration takes us through a metaphorical story and ground us with it’s depth and realness, as we begin to understand the intention of the artist’s creation.
Speaking on the release of The Ritual, Benjamin Corson says, “It all started with one word during a conversation with a great friend of mine, who was going through major changes in his life. She mentioned it and it stayed with me.”
He expands with depth, “We all have rituals in our lives. Some are mundane (like having a coffee in the morning), some are more meaningful and significant . One finds rituals throughout history and across all cultures and in all continents. Ancient tribes performed a ritual on such occasions as when a boy was ready to become a man, a ceremony with a divine significance. As this word made me question myself, fueling my inspiration with a rush of adrenaline, I immediately knew that I was going to create music taking the shape and form of my own vision of a ritual.”
Elaborating on his skillset and what it took to create the magnificent 30-minute recording, Benjamin Corson confesses, “I am a guitar player, and for the first time I knew I needed more than just my guitar. I had images in mind, the scope of which was too vast to materialize only with guitar sounds. I needed to challenge myself and I decided to sample sounds and mix them with my guitar.”
Benjamin Corson continues with passion, “This piece quickly became my obsession and It allowed me to explore music making farther than I had ever before. I dug deeper in me, it became a kind of therapy. I felt free to use any sound that inspired me, I was not stuck in the same artistic patterns anymore… I sensed that all those music sounds were meant to be connected, and that it was my purpose to bring them together into one long mix. The music sounds are a mirror to my own spiritual quest, through my life experiences and sensations: joy, anger, loneliness, love, hate, envy, fear…”
We deeply appreciate the presence of Bejamin’s guitar, fused with light percussion and astral textures. He says, “The purpose of The Ritual is to accompany you on a journey exploring the depth of your mind, allowing your imagination go to unknown places, and not fear of any judgment.
Open your mind and be free.”
It is rare to experience a release like this, one created with deep intention and not linked to the capitalistic tendencies of even the most conscious independent artists.
Mid-way through the composition, we are met with a luscious guitar solo and meditative energy with vocal tones, before the pieces takes on a darker dimension with blowing wind that captivates us, and reminds us of the forces of nature. A heartbeat becomes the main protagonist with vibrating gongs, syncopated drums and the intensity builds.
A whirring rising frequency makes its presence known with other worldly sounds and a wail before an almost techno beat generates a sense of danceability for the opus. The sound design is full of nuance before breaking down once again to unveil an almost Middle Eastern, ancient flute vibe.
We experience Benjamin on the guitar once more, layered with wild and ancestral vocal tones. The piece takes on a cinematic, futuristic vibe with compressed narration by Kelsey Madsen saying, “In your eyes, in your heart, in my eyes, in my heart…”, and we appreciate the percussive details that continue to ground us whilst the soundscape lends itself to a more transcendental experience.
The finale of the piece features the energy of a ticking clock, almost as if time is running out, before reaching a meditative climax, urging us to hit the repeat button to experience the journey of The Ritual, once again.
We the sonic and spiritual experience that is The Ritual, and recommend Benjamin Corson’s debut, Mirage, if you enjoyed this transcendental experience. The Ritual is available to purchase on BandCamp.