In the words of the great wave writer Alessio Anesi– “Wake up, wavebabe: Liquid Ritual Volume 3 just dropped.”
While that may have been a corny way to introduce you to this wave music compilation… Please believe us when we say that this Liquid Ritual release absolutely warrants a “you need to wake up and check this out right now” type of response. After all, the last time that Liquid Ritual released a compilation was in 2019–four years ago!–so of course we’re excited about this drop.
And you should be, too.
With songs from prominent wave figures like vowl., Kareful, Floatinurboat, and REMNANT.exe–as well as music from some less familiar names like Mannequin, FAMITSU, Sudoverse, and yourtears–this newest compilation can easily be considered the go-to ‘starter kit’ in terms of global representation of wave music in 2023.
Check out Liquid Ritual: Volume 3 now.
This compilation also serves as a fantastic reminder of why we fell in love with wave in the first place.
Wave music can be hard to pin down. With production styles ranging from more soft, airy, and atmospheric, to those that are more fast-paced, gritty, and intense, listeners will be able to understand just how vast the wave genre is by checking out this one body of work. In other words, Liquid Ritual did a great job with curating this compilation.
One standout track from Liquid Ritual: Volume 3 is “heart archive” by almogfx. This song feels different every time we listen to it, partly because there are so many elements that are so gorgeously layered together. Every spin of this song is a novel experience. With each additional listen, there will be something new that catches your attention. almogfx also captures the essence of the nostalgic emotions that one’s ‘heart archive’ would generate–a certain sadness tinged with laughter.
Another standout track is shxde‘s “Light It Up.” This song demonstrates a masterful use of vocal sampling with purpose. In this case, the vocals amplify the emotions present in the song, as opposed to simply serve as a cheap trick to get the music stuck in our heads. After all, there is a clear difference between good earworms and bad earworms… and in this case, “Light It Up” is a very, very good one.
Finding the right wave–
All wave music is emotional, of course. But, if you like wave music that’s got a certain intensity to it, make sure to check out OLDFLOP‘s “IN YOUR FANTASY” or MR.JAY‘s “Venture.” Both of these songs really made us feel something in a big way.
If you prefer wave music you can get utterly lost in, you have a few options– there’s “NEVA” by Psycho and “Mirage” by nightblure. Both of these songs have this all-encompassing quality that simply washes over you as you listen.
Or, if you prefer a more hypnotic effect, you can try out “Neural” by Meddus or “Where Are You Now” by førget.
The point is…
Whether you’ve been submerged in wave music since its earliest days, or if you are finding your way to the genre for the first time now, there is a new favorite or two waiting for you among the songs found in Liquid Ritual: Volume 3.
That’s no surprise– Liquid Ritual has been the ‘one-stop shop’ for wave going on six years now.
Since its launch in 2017, Liquid Ritual founders Jude, Oskar, and Guy had one goal: ”to make Liquid Ritual the one-stop shop for wave”. We would say that they have definitely accomplished this mission.
Originally a Radar Radio show hosted by Kareful (Jude) and LTHL (Guy), the Liquid Ritual brand quickly grew into a label, collective, and more. The group has always put a high priority on bringing wave music “IRL,” and has been the driving force behind countless wave shows all over the world–starting with their launch party in London on June 30, 2017.
Check out the launch party recap on YouTube:
Liquid Ritual always had a global lens when it came to supporting the wave scene as well.
Take a look at the group’s track record from the past year– coming out of the covid-19 pandemic in 2022, Liquid Ritual hosted a massive two-day “wave conference” event in London, which attracted fans from all over the world. They wrapped up the year with wave showcases at the Amsterdam Dance Event, as well as another massive two-day event in London (with wave founding father Plastician headlining!).
Liquid Ritual started off 2023 with a wave music takeover during Rampage in Belgium… and, most recently, put out this compilation, which features talent from all over: Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, North America, the United Kingdom, and more.
We can only imagine what other surprises they have in store for us for the rest of the year!
Perhaps we will see even more diverse talent with a future Liquid Ritual compilation–maybe we’ll even see a few hidden gems brought forth from the depths of the wave scene, too.
But, for now, we’re more than satisfied– after all, we’ve got sixteen new Liquid Ritual tracks to dive into, thanks to Volume 3. For a seamless listening experience, check out this new SoundCloud mix of the new compilation, presented by Liquid Ritual:
Connect with Liquid Ritual
Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud
Looking for new music? Keep up with our weekly Spotify Playlist, Fresh Hunts. Updated every Friday with all the latest releases. Whether it’s the newest drops from Liquid Ritual, all your favorite artists, some old-school, or underground…we just want you to hear it.
June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month! EDM began with the LGBTQIA+ community, and it remains a space to be fully yourself – safely and without judgment. Not only is this a time to celebrate the full spectrums of gender and sexuality, but also a reminder of the continued fight for gay and trans rights. Learn how to support trans rights here. Also, support several causes for the LGBTQIA+ community here.
