Carmen Rosa – Souls Album Review

This week finally sees the return of Carmen Rosa, five years since their debut You Only Think You Know warmed ossicles back in 2005. The 14-track self-produced, self-released Souls is the end product of this wait, an album that truly threatens to launch the band onto a far greater stage.

For the uninitiated, South Coast-based Carmen Rosa started life as a four-piece alternative band, combining experimental and electronic ideals with groove heavy foundations. Since their debut album they’ve grown in number to five with the addition of Lora Kirk, a solo artist in her own right whose vocals add a darker edge to their sound and play counterpoint to Ben Baxter’s airy relaxed tones.

It’s this additional element that completes the Rosa formula, making Souls one of the most aptly named releases of the year. It possesses a majesty and a warmth in its layered textures, far eclipsing their debut in its ambition not only sonically, but musically also. As Baxter muses on themes of self-reflection and nostalgic longing, tracks build to euphoric climaxes, echoing Spiritualized’s Ladies and Gentlemen… in its composition and delivery with equally superb results.

In summary, this is an album that requires listener patience, a tall ask in our iTunes culture of instant consumer gratification. Souls grows with each listen and at an hour in length it needs a commitment that may test those unwilling to devote to it. This may be a reason the band have released it for free download on their website. The rewards are very much there to be had however… if you are willing to search for them.

Souls is available for FREE download from www.carmenrosa.co.uk

- Tom Wells

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