There’s something to be said for repetition in sonic construction as a way to envelop listeners in a particular mode. Katherine de Rosset makes music that is a reflection of whatever we throw at it. Her work is always intentional, but there’s a soft, fragmented edge that allows it to be amorphous so that it can become whatever it is we need in that moment. Meditation As does this through looping patterns that swim in a cotton candy palette. Sweet and airy, gone in the blink of an eye.
de Rosset has a wonderful ability to combine these seemingly simple pieces of synthesizer and voice to create hypnotic, effortless phrasings. Of course, there’s nothing simple about it because her music is crafted with precision and care. “Seven” flows with a quiet purpose, inching forward across a celestial flower garden. Every few bars, another detail gets filled in. Her voice rises higher, a melodic drip hits on the downbeat, something subtle and new that further enmeshes our thoughts and gives us a foothold on what we’re feeling in that moment.
There’s nothing about Meditation As that fades to the background. With the chord arrangements and yearning atmosphere of “The Night,” the glowing silhouette of a busy city rises to meet the twinkling stars of a navy blue sky. The mood is pensive, the lilting arpeggios like stomach butterflies tiptoeing in anticipation of who or what we will meet before the sun rises again. The emotions weigh heavy draping across the shifting gridlines as the wobbly lead stings like a golden needle poking holes in our guardrails. “The Night” sings of the infinite possibilities just beyond our view.
Meditation As catches the wave from the first progressions and featherweight vocals of “Circling In” right until the last glassine drop of “Timelessness.” Katherine de Rosset’s shapeshifting compositions are attention-grabbing in such an inviting, serene way, but that overall feeling permeates every corner of these lush synthscapes. Meditation As is a space I don’t want to leave.
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