The saturated and distorted synth line that runs through Ritual Fade’s “Paraïba” with its low end emphasized flows like a curving river. Its passages accented by syncopated electric bass drum and rattling trap-like percussion to give it some delicate texture. The processional pace and hushed vocals lend the song a mysterious quality as the lyrics off hints of meaning as the title of the song perhaps references a state in northeastern Brazil with a tragic history of colonization, violent repression, exploitation and neglect but also fierce resistance. The song with its ripples of tone peppered through the song and granular ambient features is adjacent in style to more experimental darkwave bands and its emotional tenor and dusky atmospheres is reminiscent of the song “Tatters” by post-punk band Plague Garden and its own processional and languid dynamic. Listen to “Paraïba” on Spotify and follow Ritual Fade, the solo project of Filipino American artist and producer Pauline Laciste, on Instagram. The album Vibrations of Chance dropped on March 11, 2024.
Queen City Sounds and Art 
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