EP Review/ Alt Rock : Rosetta West’s ‘Circle of Doubt’

Rosetta West is a blues rock band from Illinois. Their interpretation of the genre is progressive, layered with soft dimensions of psychedelics and hard textures of stoner rock. These contrasts that they create, juxtaposing uncommon styles and elements to create a whole new world of emotion and music is their niche. So you’ll get a little bit of that hard, driving psychedelics reminiscent of the 70s with elating swells of real emotion and 90s alternative elements. It is as if their sound bubbles up from the underground, frothing with character, charisma and a consciousness that you cannot ignore. Their latest release is ‘Circle of Doubt’, a double single that gets into what humans are made up of. And they do it at the brink of insanity, when a man is at a complete loss, at a near-death situation, almost falling over but going down with a fight. 

Rich with hard instrumentals, contemplative lyrics and a grand performative flair, the theme is presented so powerfully. There are some delightful melodic peaks that shoot out of the repetitive riff planes and hypnotic bass grooves. The vocals are ambiguous, cerebral, with suggestive inflections that leave a lot of it up for interpretation. The low tonalities nicely pair with the basslines to create a spherical effect. 

‘The God Who Made Me Cry’ is the second installment of the double single. It is an acoustic/ melodic rock track that, with a gliding rhythm, floating ideas, and buoyant emotions, pairs well with its predecessor. They are conjoined at the dark thematic points. This one contemplates suicidal plots with a nonchalance that is both fitting and frightening. It feels both so human and inhuman, and you’ll be caught in between, drawn by its complexity.

The album is available for streaming on popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music!

You can listen to ‘Circle of Doubt’ by Rosetta West here -