Sacrificial Chanting Mood is the compelling outcome of an ongoing musical chain-letter between Alicia Breton Ferrer and Doortje Hiddema. Individually, they’ve spent over a decade writing and recording music with notable noise-rock bands, respectively with The Sweet Release of Death, Neighbours Burning Neighbours, Euroboy, and Real Derek and (since 2021) Rats on Rafts. Despite their musical pursuits, both share a dream of a quiet life indoors, reading books under covers, ideally accompanied by dogs.

Mutual fans of each other’s recent solo work, Alicia and Doortje began a musical correspondence in 2021. Their inspiration stemmed from shared books, such as Helena Hoogenkamp’s 2021 novel Het aanbidden van Louis Claus [Reading Glasses], the feeling of offline gloom in a digital world, chosen isolation, mental self-care, and the Spice Girls. What started as a plan for a 7″ single naturally evolved into a more substantial collaborative effort, as the duo steadily crafted an intriguing, often melancholic body of work.