Lushlife enlists eclectic collaborators for Ritualize, incl. Killer Mike, Ariel Pink and RJD2

We at The Key have been excited at the prospect of a new album by the talented Lushlife for a couple years now. But as even more details surface about his upcoming Ritualize, the word excited but not be enough to describe our collective enthusiasm.

Raj Haldar, the man behind the moniker, recently released the tracklist for his album due out in February ,and let’s just say that it was not without it’s share of enticing details. Rap albums track lists are more exciting than that of a typical album because of one thing above all else: features. In the case of Ritualize, the dizzying variety and overall quality of its nine different featured artists is what sets apart.

Haldar has never been one to forget his roots and Ritualize appears no different. Not only is paying homage to his city with songs like “Strawberry Mansion”, but he has enlisted the help of some awesome and relatively unknown local help including RJD2, Nightlands and Yikes the Zero — who all appear on the 10-minute track “Toynbee Suite,” originally released as a Shaking Through session — as well as fellow Philly rapper Freeway.

The record also features indie acts like Ariel Pink and I Break Horses, which will add even more to the sonically varied sound that Lushlife has consistently created. He even added an unlikely feature from singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler for good measure. Oh yeah, and last but certainly not last, Lushlife was lucky enough to nab Atlanta legend Killer Mike of Run the Jewels for the track “The Ecstatic Cult”.

Ritualize, which is produced by Philly trio CSLSX,  is set for release on February 19 of next year via Western Vinyl. You can check out the album’s first single “Body Double” and the full track list below.