After the dissolution of Polar Bear, jazz drummer Seb Rochford went on a literal and figurative journey of self-discovery, venturing to India to explore his roots. It was during this time that he was inspired to form Pulled by Magnets and write an album, and if that's the case, he must have stared deep into his very being to pull out the dark and brooding sound found on this record. The album writhes and screeches, looming somewhere in the darkness beyond everyday reality, and it is as captivating as it is disturbing, possessing a ritualistic quality that earns the cinematic superlative that's been attributed to it.
It begins in suitably dramatic fashion on "Nothing Nowhere" and "Slow Shrouded Aisle" before pausing for the cold, ominous quiet of "Breath That Sparks." The record relies on this dynamic of tension and reprieve, at one moment imposing itself before slithering back into the shadows. This culminates in the anguished apex of "The Moon of Oduglin" and closing number "Invite Them In," with the latter allowing chaos to spill out unrestrained before closing out the ritual and revealing an eerie aftermath. Rose Golden Doorways is the sound of established jazz musicians embracing the dark side of avant-garde; drifting into psychological horror territory is rarely this captivating, making it the ideal music for the discerning cultist and a glimpse into the deep recesses of talented yet reflective musicians.