Band:	Rosetta
Album:	Audio​/​Visual Original Score [Soundtrack]
Style:	Ambient
Release date:	January 06, 2015
A review by:	R'Vannith

01. Dunes
02. Talus
03. Stoma
04. Tape A
05. Lagoons
06. Waves
07. Alterne
08. Estuary
09. Bergmann's Rule
10. Sedges
11. Tape B
12. Maritimes

Bringing their background to the foreground presents a challenge to the nature of inherent engagement. Fortunately Rosetta's latest record isn't devoid of substance in an attempt at purer ambient.

They must be pleased with themselves, especially in creating a piece of music that can at last annul any post-metal labelling. It holds no place here. Even the post-rock element is light of pressure in twelve tracks that gently push the band's creativity toward its most tranquil recesses. In the absence of percussion, rhythm is loosely applied at the most relevant of times, its infrequency and unobtrusiveness lessening the proximity to any kind of rock let alone metal and drifting into Rosetta's most atmospheric resources. It seems that the heavier presence of sludge is not incumbent on their ability to write music, as it takes on a form altogether removed from it in this effort.

We witness one side of their sound in all its possibilities. These possibilities aren't obviously numerous, ambient compositions being challenging to make distinctive, though they are rather extensive in that they provide a track-list that is as varied in its exploration of Rosetta's ambient facets as one would expect of the band on records with all their known elements at their disposal. Disposing of a good portion of what makes their music most engaging and impressive by no means denies attentiveness on the listener's part. It's simply compelling in a different way; taking a part of their sound and expanding upon it to remarkable results.

Softly strung guitar establishes the most obvious points of melody, most closely resembling Rosetta's home sound encompassed as it is in a stylistically distant layering of effects that stay the course of the album, projecting a clear distinction in the band's discography. What normally serves as a partial and underlying aspect is expounded upon to its fullest potential. Said potential can only go so far, however.

As unique as this piece of music is from Rosetta, one gets the impression that it's designed to accompany visual material, much in the same way that music of this nature usually serves as an accompanying and atmospherically enabling element in Rosetta's overall sound on prior records. Such intentions are stated clearly right there in the album title.

As a standalone piece it successfully explores to a more thorough degree the one side of the band's sound that is such an enhancing aspect across their prior albums. Explored in the context of a full record, its avoidance of heavier substance bears its own limitations, taking into consideration what the band are entirely capable of recording. As a wholly instrumental composition, it also opts to remove Rosetta's vocal element, which serves as further stripping down of their sound to a purely ambient basis.

Though it may be stripped down to the bare minimums of one of the band's aspects, this Audio/Visual Score is written with the aim to present a new depth of atmosphere that wouldn't have been possible had Rosetta employed all elements known to them, and previously utilised in their discography. Though it may likely find greater purpose as background music, it possesses a sure connection to the band's work to date, navigating in full an area of their sound previously foundational, now presented in purity.