AMN Reviews: Rose Bolton – The Lost Clock (2021; Cassauna / Important Records)

Google “Rose Bolton” and you get thousands of hits related to a Game of Thrones character. That is too bad, because Bolton’s (Rose’s, that is) efforts on The Lost Clock could is worthy of a few thousand listeners at least. Her past work is quite varied and she has been active in soundtracks, which is a background that informs this release.

The four pieces here are slow-moving and introspective ambient / electronic compositions coupled with found-object percussion. Traditional instrumentation wends its way in and out of these structures, to the point that it can be difficult to discern the ultimate source of certain sounds. But precise identification of these sounds is not required, and Bolton uses such ambiguity to create soundscapes that are both idyllic and haunting.

Case in point, the 12-minute title track includes what seems like stringed instruments to accompany layers of sweeping drones and a steady pulse. The Heaven Mirror, a similarly long piece, features strings, synth rumblings and shimmerings, as well as an angular piano theme. Bolton develops these efforts at her own pace, resulting in an atmospheric feel punctuated by an occasional ominous presence.

The Lost Clock comes out May 28th on Cassauna, an Important Records cassette imprint.