Winn Rose’s debut album “so far” is a beautiful, deeply personal treatise to the highs, lows, and in-between spaces that life brings. From the very moment that you hit play, you are given access to a sonic journey—a very intimate one, as though Rose had exposed her world and called you inside. “so far” is a blending of indie-rock, lo-fi folktronica, and alt-pop. It leaks into every track of Rose’s journey through university and young adulthood as a neurodivergent individual to offer an unfiltered look at love, growth, friendship, and self-discovery. It’s not just an album—it’s a reflection of her personal evolution and one that many will draw comfort from, especially those who have felt like outsiders.
The album opens with “ANGELS,” the kind of track that sets into motion the record’s themes of identity and growth. It is a very vulnerable, pensive glance at the limitations of Rose herself, yet streaked with the undercurrent of resilience. Her voice winds over soft strings and atmospheric production so easily, it’s really hard not to be completely pulled into the very core of her emotional experience. And it’s only a vulnerability that deepens as the album progresses, especially on tracks like “Barely Breathing,” where she lays the ache of long-distance relationships bare. There is something haunting about the overall downcast quality of the melancholia in her vocals, yet beautifully contrasted by the lightness of the acoustic guitar—darkness and light in perfect balance.
It is in the interludes, “the water” and “the mountains,” where the album breathes life. These moments give the listener a moment to take in the experience and contemplate before being plunged back into songs like “deep dive”. Each track is finely tailored—detail in sound and detail in emotional delivery. “Deep Dive,” in particular, is a very raw song exploring vulnerability, the hurt and loss that come with love. Winn Rose captures these emotions in soundscapes that are as fragile as they are strong in a way so few can.
“remind me” is the end cap to an emotional marathon, but with a soft landing. The warm acoustic guitars and Rose’s heartfelt vocal delivery create a sonic landscape similar to that of a soft hug: comforting, safe, and hopeful. It’s just a lovely way to close off an album that’s taken us through so many emotional ups and downs.
While most of the album is self-produced, collaborative production with rising R&B producer EMEREE and local pop, punk, and rock musician Brad Jackson fine-tuned Rose’s vision. What came together was a lush textural sonic landscape, drawing from cinematic strings and lo-fi electronica, live instrumentation allowing every song to shine yet feel part of a whole. Other influences are, of course, present from other artists of the alt-pop vein: Ruelle, Chelsea Cutler, Lizzy McAlpine—all of whom show shades of similarity to their works, but with Winn Rose providing the unique voice and perspective that very much belongs to her alone.
According to Winn Rose herself, making “so far” was “viscerally cathartic.” And it clearly shows. Literally, in all of them, there is a sense of release—Rose has held these feelings in for years and is letting them all bleed into the songs. For the listener, it is infectious: one would scarcely be able to resist feeling released or comforted while listening to her work.
This album is a deeply personal reflection on Winn Rose’s life and experiences thus far. In “So Far,” she has delivered a work that not only outlines her immense talent but speaks volumes for the beauty of vulnerability and emotional authenticity. It’s the kind of record you want to keep coming back to, one listen revealing different layers and nuances than its predecessor.
You can find more of Winn Rose at:
You can listen to ‘so far’ below:
Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.