1986's Rituals is one of the best-kept secrets of the Belgian synth-pop/coldwave movement -- sinister, dark, with touching melodies. Peter Bonne and Geert Coppens had already been playing for a few years in other projects such as Autumn and Linear Movement, and in 1985 they managed to create this stunning album. Highlights on the album include "I Never Called You a Dream," "Rooms," "Amorphous Materials," "Closed Circuit," and every other track. When the LP was originally released, by some awkward mistake, the artwork was printed in reverse (black became white and white became black). The artwork is now restored to its original form -- how it was intended to be. This album was born at the height of the analog era, when Geert and Peter collected as much synths and recording devices as they could get their hands on. Using the all-time favorite TR-808 as rhythm provider, sequencers and effects formed the basis for a unique-sounding album. Sounds were processed in every possible unintended way, recording layer over layer with voices, guitars and doubled keyboards and solos. Instruments included TR-808, SH-2, Teisco 7, Jupiter 4, JX-3P, Trilogy, Minimoog, Crumar Performer, Roland System-100, syndrums, double cassette player, two-track tape recorder, four-track cassette deck, tape echo, phaser foot pedal and manual flanger, some self-built switches, splitters and other weird materials. Remastered by Anders Peterson. Edition of 500 copies with double-sided insert.
