It’s a fair assumption that Other Lives admire Radiohead. That Radiohead are equally fond of Other Lives became apparent in 2012 when the Oklahoma group were invited to tour with Thom Yorke and co across North America during their King of Limbs campaign. Not only do many of its songs include Yorkesque backing vocals – like a ghost haunting a public toilet – as well as Atoms for Peace’s Joey Waronker as co-producer and additional drummer on track Reconfiguration, but the creative love-in continues conceptually: Other Lives’ third album focuses on pattern, repetition, dystopia and an opposition to modern technology and terrors, much alike to the Oxford group’s approach. “I don’t need a line to pull me out,” Jesse Tabish sings on the heads-down culture of mobile use on Need a Line: “I never wanted this.” There’s certainly beauty within these lush, lofty, cinematic creations; but ultimately Rituals is the sound of a lot of lamenting, much melodic looping and no surprises.
