Rituals of Mine, the R&B-electronic project of Los Angeles songwriter Terra Lopez, has shared a beautiful new music video for her latest single “Exceptions,” off Rituals of Mine’s upcoming album HYPE NOSTALGIA.
Directed by L. C. Pfeifer with just the right amount of glossy-haze and hipster kids-wear, the nostalgia is potent enough with its 90s feel without Lopez also tugging at the heartstrings of the film’s protagonist: a young girl trying to reconcile a fading friendship who is based off of Lopez herself. In the end the film’s fate for the girl is a hopeful one, ending with her singing the lines of “Exceptions” in a serenade to the friend she was losing, but only after suffering her dad’s crushing of a CD (a possible memento from the friend?).
With the help of a TC Helicon vocal effects pedal, Lopez’s vocals are soaked in this raw, vulnerable quiver that reverberates throughout her spacious and lush electronic soundscapes.
Exploring past-trauma and finding ways to heal are themes not just isolated to “Exceptions,” but will no doubt fill and fuel her upcoming album HYPE NOSTALGIA. The years leading up to the album’s creation were turbulent ones for Lopez; after losing her father to suicide and her best friend to an accident in the span of six months, Lopez fell into a crippling depression. Three-years later and Lopez has found a healing process in therapy and medication, and HYPE NOSTALGIA was born out of a desire to help others confront their own mental health challenges.
“During this time I had a big falling out with some key people in my life (including my longtime bandmate), friends that had been family for over a decade. I honestly thought I’d grow old with these people by my side and it was a heavy realization coming to terms that we just didn’t belong in each other’s lives anymore,” says Lopez. “It’s a song that acknowledges that in these situations, it’s a two-way street. There’s no need to shift blame on anyone, that won’t undo what happened. The chorus, ‘Take all of my pride, throw it out’ is me admitting that I was also part of the reason for the connection ending.”
Rituals of Mine is releasing their album HYPE NOSTALGIA on September 25 via Carpark Records, pre-order it here. Visit their website and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
