Indie shoegaze stalwarts Film School return with their sixth full-length release and first for Sonic Ritual, We Weren’t Here, the follow-up to 2018’s Bright to Death. What emerges from beneath the waves of the album’s psychedelic dream pop are bittersweet themes of a year lived in suspended animation: anticipation, separation, regret, revelation. From the moody sonic crush of “Superperfection” driven by an icy yet ethereal harmony featuring guest vocalist Noël Brydebell of Wild Signals (who appears throughout the album), to the standout track “Isla” with its intertwining guitars and swooning synths, and culminating in the buoyant, nostalgic closer “Take What You Need,” We Weren’t Here bathes the listener in a soundscape of atmosphere and emotion. SRR005 Film School “We Weren’t Here” is out September 24th everywhere rad music streams and on Limited Edition 180g clear vinyl in January 2022. Pre-save the album on all digital platforms or pre-order your copy on vinyl from our distributor Fat Beats link here: https://www.fatbeats.com/products/film-school-we-werent-here-lp

On September 14th, Gypsum release their luminous new single/video “Give It” which features mesmerizing hi-hat work and chasmic, stop-and-start waves of Sleater-Kinney-esque guitar interplay. The track is the second to come off their upcoming eponymous debut album. Anna Arboles (guitarist and vocalist) says “Give It” is about self-determination and identity. “Sapphire brought in the riff for this song with the refrain ‘Why don’t you just give it a chance’ and it moved me, so I went home and wrote the lyrics. ’Give It’ was written as a meditation and subsequent statement that I have the autonomy to decide what I am and how to express it,” Arboles states. “As a queer person, I am constantly asked to answer for my identities and codify it for the comfort of other people’s understanding. There is a tension in the push, pull, and release of that experience, which I feel is manifested by the gravel of the riff that spills into the chord with all the extensions and then repeats. I love to play this song live. It’s quick and dirty.” Jewell emphasizes, “We used to always open our sets with it because it’s sort of like ‘here we are, now pay attention!’ You can check out the single on your preferred digital platform here. SRR006 Gypsum “Gypsum” is out October 12th everywhere rad music streams and on Limited Edition 180g clear vinyl due out in January 2022. Pre-save the album on all digital platforms or pre-order your copy on vinyl from our distributor Fat Beats link here: https://www.fatbeats.com/products/gypsum-gypsum-lp-translucent-clear-vinyl

The hazy soundtrack to coming down, “Stratospheric Tendencies”, flows downstream with balearic ease and is the latest single from Film School‘s upcoming full length album, We Weren’t Here. Check it out on all your favorite streaming platforms on Tuesday, September 7th. You can even pre-save the single here. SRR005 Film School “We Weren’t Here” is out September 24th everywhere rad music streams and on Limited Edition 180g clear vinyl in January 2022. Pre-save the album on all digital platforms or pre-order your copy on vinyl from our distributor Fat Beats link here: https://www.fatbeats.com/products/film-school-we-werent-here-lp

Los Angeles post-rock outfit Gypsum emerge with “Follow Me,” the first single from the upcoming eponymous debut album, set for release on October 12, 2021. The track is a lustrous, percussion-driven indie rock tune that guitarist and vocalist Sapphire Jewell says was inspired by the people throughout history who have been forced to leave their home and seek refuge. “It’s not about any one movement but rather the constant stream of innocent people who’ve chosen between starting a new life elsewhere or risking their lives to stay. It’s sort of a privilege check  that security isn’t permanent.” Rounded out by guitarist and vocalist Anna Arboles and drummer Jessy Reed, “Follow Me” weaves an intricate musical web of rhythm and dark melody buoyed by the group’s haunted vocal harmonies. You can check out the single on your preferred digital platform here. SRR006 Gypsum “Gypsum” is out October 12th everywhere rad music streams and on Limited Edition 180g clear vinyl due out in January 2022. Pre-save the album on all digital platforms or pre-order your copy on vinyl from our distributor Fat Beats link here: https://www.fatbeats.com/products/gypsum-gypsum-lp-translucent-clear-vinyl

The latest single from Film School‘s upcoming full length album, We Weren’t Here, is out on Tuesday August 10th and it’s not to be missed. “Said Your Name” is post punk perfection – a shimmering lost love song that seamlessly harkens back to legendary touchstones like Modern English, Cocteau Twins, Lush, and the Psychedelic Furs all while leaning back into waves of west coast ease buoyed by Greg Bertens and Noël Brydebell’s floating vocal interplay. We love this song. You can pre-save the single on your preferred digital platform here. SRR005 Film School “We Weren’t Here” is out September 24th everywhere rad music streams and on Limited Edition 180g clear vinyl. Pre-save the album on all digital platforms or pre-order your copy on vinyl from our distributor Fat Beats link here: https://www.fatbeats.com/products/film-school-we-werent-here-lp

Up and coming film and video game composer Tyler Durham’s alter ego LIMINA releases his debut album of original compositions, Hidden Spaces, on August 3rd. The album is beautiful, healing, and the perfect soundtrack to a world slowly emerging from darkness. Combining ideas drawn from ambient electronic music, contemporary classical, and new age, the album openly explores transitive passages and the very nature of the creative process. Hidden Spaces is crafted for single-sitting immersion with each of the six works building on musical ideas expressed in earlier movements and seamlessly flowing from one track to the next without interruption. SRR004 LIMINA “Hidden Spaces” is out August 3rd, 2021 on digital/streaming and on Limited Edition 180g White vinyl. Pre-order vinyl in North America from Fat Beats and pre-save digital and streaming via our friends at Symphonic.

The fourth single and final chapter from Joe Cardamone’s excellent album / film series QUARENTINA is out now and streaming on all your favorite music platforms + check out the rad bonus B side “USA”… Listen here and watch here! SRR003 Joe Cardamone “QUARENTINA” is streaming everywhere rad music streams and coming soon on Limited Edition 180g Oxblood Marble vinyl. Pre-order in North America from our pals Fat Beats or in the UK from Rough Trade, Horizons, or Banquet…

The first two singles from Film School‘s upcoming full length album, We Weren’t Here, are out Tuesday July 20th. “Superperfection” is a dark spacey rocker that finds our heroes picking up where they left off from last year’s “Is This A Hotel?” and 2019’s “Influencer” singles, while “Isla” is perfect, washed out, glimmering pool side hazy ease. All of us at Sonic Ritual can’t wait to share this awesome record with you – it’s already on our best of 2021 list… SRR005 Film School “We Weren’t Here” is out September 24th everywhere rad music streams and on Limited Edition 180g clear vinyl. Pre-order link coming soon!

“I. Muse”, the first single from the upcoming LIMINA album “Hidden Spaces”, drops this Tuesday! Pre-save on your favorite digital streaming platform today here: https://sym.ffm.to/muse. SRR004 LIMINA “Hidden Spaces” is out August 3rd everywhere rad music streams and on Limited Edition 180g white vinyl. Pre-order vinyl from our pals at Fat Beats now!

The latest single and chapter from Joe Cardamone’s excellent album / film series QUARENTINA is out now and streaming on all your favorite music platforms. Listen here and watch here! SRR003 Joe Cardamone “QUARENTINA” is streaming everywhere rad music streams and coming soon on Limited Edition 180g Oxblood Marble vinyl. Pre-order in North America from our pals Fat Beats or in the UK from Rough Trade, Horizons, or Banquet…