THE ROSE HAZE

( Kate Ramsey )

THE ROSE HAZE is the musical project of Kate Ramsey devoted to limitless sonic exploration. Ramsey is a mercurial songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist with a penchant for experimental soundscapes. She emits an ethereal feminine prowess and powerful panache. Her unabashedly vulnerable lyrics explore the depths of the human experience. Rarely executing the same set twice, Ramsey’s dynamic live performances embody moody, ethereal vocals and any combination of synths, guitar, bass, harp, or flute, always pushing to improvise within the sonic space. Her music has been described as “otherworldly in a spaced out way” (Glide), “saturated with lush synth pads” (Petal Motel), and “dramatic, majestic rock” (The Stranger).

Ramsey grew up in a small Ohio town, but was destined to run around from place to place performing music, experimenting with various artistic passions, and exploring inner and outer worlds. Best described as idiosyncratic, vulnerable, and unabashedly honest, she is a well-traveled artist who expresses the oddities, woes, and euphoria of life through her music.

During her formative years as a songwriter, Ramsey collaborated with esteemed musicians Stan Smith and Lisa Bella Donna to record and perform The Rose Haze’s first two albums which embody a dark and driving vulnerable sensibility ultimately helping her to escape the throes of deep depressions and anxieties as a result of many life traumas.

In 2019, after a long spiritual renewal on Kaua’i, she moved to California and met the musical love of her life Ruben Gonzales. His textural guitar work melded shoegaze and noise rock with Ramsey’s progressive, psychedelic, new wave, synth-pop giving The Rose Haze a unique vast sound of its own.

Ramsey and Gonzales composed and produced for The Rose Haze from 2019 until Gonzales’ sudden and very tragic death on January 31, 2024. Gonzales was a very humble and devoted masterful musician. His colorful wall-of-sound tones and screaming guitar leads were very much his own. Gonzales will forever be missed. His spirit lives on through his music and in the hearts of many.

Ramsey is now on a journey of sonic rediscovery and transformation.

Experimental Compositions & Performances

Ramsey occasionally publishes under her full name Kathleen Theresa Ramsey. She refers to these experimental works as musical moments that have few restraints or pre-conceived notions with a focus on layering textures and feelings as they arrive naturally to her.

She draws inspiration from Alice Coltrane, Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, Tom Waits, Frank Zappa, Howlin Wolf, Lonnie Liston Smith, Bach, Ravel, Bill Evans, Allan Holdsworth, Sonny Sharrock, Robert Fripp, Miles Davis, Matthew Halsall, Nils Frahm, Chihei Hatakeyama, Jeff Schroeder, Emma Ruth Rundle, Floating Points, John Abercrombie, Terje Rypdal, Steve Roach, et cetera.

BEACH HEX

Throughout her career, Ramsey has collaborated off and on with cellist Kristen Marie. Their project BEACH HEX is focused on healing others with sound and evoking divine femininity through their expressions through live cello and harp over delicately designed synth-wave overtones, ambient undertones, and vaporwave beats.