Canadian-born group Dorian released on Friday, April 22, ritAL is a new album featuring a dozen tracks where the band reimagines itself by blending European and Latin American sounds and casts a critical eye on society, a world they feel needs transformative changes.
In an interview with Europa Press, vocalist Marc Gili voices a lament on how perceptions shift when refugees are described differently by appearance, a reminder that microaggressions persist in Spain. He calls for open discussion about these necessary changes in society.
He points to the Ukrainian refugee crisis as underscoring an unconscious social problem that many deny having, urging listeners to reflect and keep morale high as global issues unfold. This, he says, is a basic responsibility for artists and journalists to confront and illuminate.
As he explains, artists cannot stay silent or focus on distant topics while the world changes around them. The band defends the need to view current events with a critical lens and to push for meaningful responses rather than drifting into casual chatter.
Gili cautions against a music industry that gravitates toward reverse trends, with songs that merely fill radio slots and headlines built on easy clicks. Dorian counters this with Ritual, a record that engages with feminism, the economic fallout of the coronavirus, sexual freedom, social media obsession, and the challenge of urban gentrification.
Go social
Gili explains that the album marks a turn toward society as a focal point after recent events made such a tilt inevitable. The band signals that while the world has become loud and fast, there is still room for thoughtful art that matters.
He notes that the world may not be lost despite the perception that a screen-dominated era erodes depth; texts are shrinking into telegram-like brevity, yet real artistry can still thrive beyond the feed.
The members critique the endless stream of images on Instagram and audiovisual platforms, which often push audiences toward uncritical mass while denying the value of robust, reflective discourse. Yet they believe misinformation is a real concern that warrants education and vigilance rather than surrender.
They acknowledge Russia’s recent actions as a stark reminder of how propaganda manipulates public perception, and they express a desire to foster genuine citizenship rather than people who simply follow the noise of those who want to mold opinion.
Dialogue between Europe and Latin America
Regarding the new sonic direction, Gili notes a deliberate move away from the band’s familiar textures toward a musical dialogue that fuses European calendars with Latin American grooves.
Caribbean rhythms mingle with French house, northern Argentine rhythms with synthesizers, and Brazilian textures blend with indie pop, all threaded through Ritual as the band reinvents its core sound.
He describes Ritual as a fresh start and a creative dawn for Dorian, affirming that the group will continue to explore eclectic blends and cross-cultural experiments, where present and future forms of popular music may emerge.
The pandemic largely shaped this fusion, offering time to absorb global influences. Band members Belly Hernandez, Bart Sanz, and Lisandro Montes listened to music from various regions and incorporated direct inspirations into their work.
The album is a direct product of the pandemic era, a period that gave space to absorb sounds the band might not have encountered during their usual touring grind.
With the hiatus behind them, the group rediscovered its spark and creative magic, returning to touring with renewed intensity.
Marc Gili emphasizes that the band will keep fighting to remain active, noting that Dorian has become a fixture in Spain’s indie scene, a scene that has faced recent breakup news. He argues for continued vitality and for the talent within the indie space to stay active and produce music.
Looking ahead, Ritual is seen as a milestone of independence for the group, and Gili invites listeners to explore the cover as a musical journey where collaborations with Main Mena, Pimp Flaco, and Suu weave a cohesive and introspective arc that travels globally while remaining deeply musical.
As the Ritual phase continues, Dorian is slated to perform at some of Spain’s most renowned festivals and will head to Istanbul in November, with appearances at Wizink Center in Madrid and Sant Jordi Club in Barcelona on the horizon.