Phasedrift by AJ Rosales

AJ Rosales
Phasedrift
Independent

AJ Rosales returns with his sixth release. What we get is a different side to Rosales’s musical personality—one that takes intention and focus to peer into his musical soul. Here we experience a new level of depth to his stripped-down sound. On Phasedrift, Rosales tells stories in a way that feels inspired by the greats like Steve Winwood or Alejandro Escovedo.

There is more grit to his craft that stems from the core of raw emotion. This time around, he abandoned pitch correction in his voice and avoided separating the vocals or guitar to build a fully uninhibited experience. Songs like “Thunderclouds” or “Phosphene” make it all feel personal. “Leitmotif” gives off an edgier feel that showcases Rosales’s knack for diversity.

What is most impressive is that Rosales does everything himself. A diverse menu of instruments that he cycles through gives Phasedrift a bigger sound. Then again, Winwood created everything on Arc of a Diver by himself. The correlation is there.

I love how Rosales takes chances and puts himself out there. Phasedrift does not allow him to hide in the shadows, instead pushing him out for everyone to appreciate. What we get is confidence, imagination, and mastery of a song without the embellishment. His late mother, to whom this album is a tribute, would have been thrilled by his aural life celebration.

Read about AJ Rosales’s release, Manifestations