Sounds like…
Aural folk.
The review
Katherine de Rosset has an angelic voice. She has the softest of wisps that glides effortlessly across your ears like rich and fruitful milk. Katherine uses her voice to great effect on her latest EP ‘Fire Rises’ where her voice is front and centre to each song. Using faery coo’s and ethereal oohs, she creates a relaxing and full-bodied aural folk sound that has me coming back time and again.
The three tracks on ‘Fire Rises’ approach this ethereal heavenly folk style differently. ‘Exposing the Shadow’ reminds me of a mix of Cocteau Twins ballads, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith and Happy Rhodes. Katherine de Rosset uses an old school synth that reminds me of ancient home Casio keyboards to create synth and drum loops. These are tinny, light and fluffy and act like winged feathers pushing a track forward. From there Katherine’s voice captivates you like the gentler side of Elizabeth Fraser.
‘October’ is a nine and half minute experimental drone and voice piece. Soft flutes and harmoniums rotate around a simple riff and Katherine’s voice then layers other melodies over the top. Over time a buzzing bass synth and light distance drums join in before the track transforms into a gentle nostalgic synth piece. Reminding me of farming sim games and lens flare filters, it’s a light and airy piece that I enjoy more every time I listen to it. The closing track is ‘Canyon Air’. This is the most melodic and straightforward track structurally but also the most immediate. A rich dual organ slowly seeps in over other synths and vocal calls and responses to create a gorgeous ballad. Think Emmy Rossum’s all-vocal album or some of the heavenly sounds of Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s ‘The Mosiac of Transformation’ and you are in the right ballpark. I’ve had this song on repeat and it feels like you are ascending into the clouds.
If you are looking for gentle vocal focused folk music as light as air then Katherine de Rosset is your lady. ‘Fire Rises’ is another reminder of her talents and a great stop-gap to get up to speed with her work. Here’s hoping an album is incoming soon but in the meantime, bliss out on those vocals and synths.
Recommended track: Canyon Air
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Katherine de Rosset - Fire Rises