What does Kate de Rosset sound like?

Ethereal pop with a love for reverbs and vocal layering.

The review of ‘It Will Burn’ by Kate de Rosset

Previously known artistically as Katherine de Rosset, Kate delayed releasing her new album ‘It Will Burn’ by a year to polish it. Having released her first studio-recorded album in 2023, Kate found she wanted to explore digital synths, electronic drums, and more homegrown creative spark. This resulted in a 6-track EP becoming an 8-track LP, and a luscious, dewy, crossover sound that merges ethereal pop and new age synths.

Opening track ‘Ignite’, one of those two new tracks written after the delay, opens the album like a calm siren in the wind. Kate’s voice has always conveyed an angelic, soft, pillowy vibe. Here, she combines it with airy synths and light electronic percussion beautifully. The entire album is drenched in reverb echo, as if de Rosset has used shoegazer settings for her synths and voice. With ‘Ignite’, it gives a sense of swirling wind currents that carry you with care. On ‘What Wish’, the synths are replaced by soft, distant church organs. Kate’s voice reminds me of Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser in their latter, more ethereal ballad eras circa ‘Milk and Kisses’. It also reminds me of Sarah McLachlan’s debut album ‘Touch’, with its retro synths and midi-sounding hi-hat runs. The track swells into a waltzing cloud of dreams for a satisfying conclusion, although getting there takes a little patience.

Soft pop takes centre stage for ‘Burn Bright’. Whereas the previous track forces patience for the melodic moments, ‘Burn Bright’ is steeped in light guitars, two-chord pitter-patters, and catchy vocal nuances. The bridges let more intricate keyboard moments arc around swells of vocal layers as if the track itself is burning itself into a beautiful death star. Despite the ethereal sound, a palpable tension hums underneath the track. It grows in volume, taking over the final third as a single chord powers over the rest of the music.

At times, the numbing aural production can make songs bleed into each other, making them sound less unique. The two that sonically stand out are ‘The Spark’ and ‘Cool Blue Flame’. The former is because the guitar leads a darker, more haunted tone. The latter is because the synths bring in a very rare bassier note that is absent from the rest of the album. Both are standouts for the more haunted or more cyclic tone they provide. ‘Amethyst Ring’ also stands out as it is the only track to have percussion throughout, although it starts off sounding quite tinny and wooden until the track fills itself out. The demo-like electronic percussion is a stylistic choice that I feel could be a bit marmite for listeners. When you hear the drums on their own, they often sound underwhelming, but as soon as they’re drenched in all the heavy reverb of other instruments, their lack of power and hollow sound work quite well. The closing track ‘In the New’ showcases this well. The way the synths and guitars overwhelm the drum loop makes Kate de Rosset’s vocals and instruments sound louder and wider. If it clicks with you, it will heighten your emotional vulnerability to the music, too.

Circling back to Kate de Rosset’s reasons for making a homegrown DIY album seems clear to me in the production. There are lots of stylistic production decisions that may have been steered away from in a bigger studio environment. Whilst at times, the bold reverb drench and dreamlike quality of the music robs some tracks of their individuality and hides their complex melodies, ‘It Will Burn’ is an album that holds a distinct character and personality. You won’t come across something embracing this amount of playful faery fawn majestic air sprite energy often. I’m all for bold decision-making and art direction, so I’m here for it. Just know that if you enjoy one track, you can expect seven others sounding very similar.

Recommended track: Cool Blue Flame

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