Gathering of the Tribe : Ritual: a Companion to Occult Music on Vinyl

The writer, musician and curator Tot Taylor once observed that the word ‘ritual’ is already present in the word 'spiritual'. That combination of material practice and the transcendent can be found within the strange combination of records discussed in this publication.

With music, one can transpose imagination, visions and dreams into 'sacred rites'. 'Heavy conscious creation', the theme of this series, embodies the realization of occult and esoteric ideas through artistic expression, in this case sonic arts.

The music discussed here is using elements of ritual to immerse the listener in the experience of a magical rite; it may aid the listener in spiritual enlightenment in some way but might also simply provide entertainment and an engaging listening experience.

Ritual is a form of living action and while LP records are encountered as objects mostly on the aural plane, an innovative and surprising use of sound can conjure up all manner of images, places and emotions.

About the series:

GATHERING OF THE TRIBE is an on-going series about the mysterious power of sound and tone, with each book devoted to reviewing records that reveal divine and cosmic laws, voyages to other worlds or use sound as a tool for transformation. While highly selective, the series offers a practical guide to the ultimate occult record collection.

Rare album sleeves complement each review.

Mark Goodall is an author and academic who teaches and writes about film. He is also a musician and composer, experimental filmmaker and has worked as a journalist, bookseller, community artist, printer and cheesemonger.

@rockygoodall