Body Beat Ritual – Instinct Primitive / Crash Report (Vinyl 12” – Haven)
Genre/Influences: EBM, techno-body.
Background/Info: Body Beat Ritual is based in New Zealand, but grew up in the UK. This 12” is the second production by this EBM inspired project.
Content: The 12” features four songs. Each side features a title song plus one remix. “Instinct Primitive” clearly reminds me of some visionary EBM from the 90s and I immediately had Fatal Morgana in mind. Body Beat Ritual sounds darker and still driven by some technoid elements, but the good-old EBM emerges at the surface. The remix has been accomplished by VTSS.
The B-side features another old-school driven cut. “Crash Report” has been remixed by the excellent Blush Response.
+ + + : The fusion between old-school EBM and techno music became a rather familiar formula, which even contaminated the New Zealand border. I like the retro-EBM elements, which have something raw, minimal and yet intelligent. Among the remixes I especially like the minimalistic approach of Blush Response.
– – – : The remix from VTSS is less inspiring and that’s a pity as this Polish artist is able to do better!
Conclusion: This EP reveals two title songs, which stands for a mix between old-school (EBM) and modern (techno) electronics.
Best songs: “Crash Report”, “Instinct Primitive”, “Crash Report – Blush Response Remix”.
Rate: (7½).
Artist: www.facebook.com/bodybeatritual
Label: www.facebook.com/havenakl
About Body Beat Ritual
Body Beat Ritual is a solo EBM project based in New Zealand, formed by an artist who grew up immersed in hardcore punk and rave culture in North West England. The project combines hardware, samples and MIDI sequencing, drawing on underground dance aesthetics from Manchester, Chicago and Ghent.
Body Beat Ritual debuted in 2018 with the 12″ EP “Mortal Sin” (Bergerac, catalogue BERG009), followed in 2019 by “Instinct Primitive / Crash Report” on Haven, remixed by VTSS and Blush Response.
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