Virginia Woolf alluded to this in her 1929 essay ‘A Room of One’s Own’ explaining that a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction: Two things that are still more a privilege, rather than a given. Nearly a century later, Rosemary & Garlic’s Anne van den Hoogen found a fresh start for herself in the Dutch countryside, and for the first time she, too, had a space of peace and quiet: A room of her own to work in.
Releasing today, ‘A Room of One’s Own’ is the long-awaited sophomore album from Rosemary & Garlic, which Anne van den Hoogen formed with Dolf Smolenaers in 2014. Now her solo project (with Smolenaers collaborating as a co-producer), Rosemary & Garlic sees Van den Hoogen coming into her own as a purveyor of lush and lilting indie folk music.
“If you put on the music, I would hope that it would stop you somewhere in your tracks for just a second, just to feel some comfort and some kind of beauty,” she says. “I always try to keep some blank spaces.”
Soft and sweetly introspective, ‘A Room of One’s Own’ invites listeners to slip into an air of tranquility. Its enchanting songs offer both comfort and serenity as Van den Hoogen, who holds a degree in literature and philosophy, creates tender, textured worlds of warmth and wonder. For her, Rosemary & Garlic’s music is about a kind of sensibility in writing, producing, and sharing music – and at its heart is honest storytelling.
“The songs are small observations often grabbed from normal life, dealing with emotions, expectations and grief – very human things,” she explains. “I want people to feel seen. The topics included in the songs are about taking a break and reflecting, about accepting change, making decisions, letting go of certain patterns or people, and embracing a moment in time just the way it is. ‘A Room of One's Own’ is also about creating your own space inside your body, mind, and relationships within this fragmented and chaotic world.”
Following 2017’s critically acclaimed ‘The Kingfisher’ EP and 2018’s self-titled debut album, ‘A Room of One’s Own’ is Rosemary & Garlic’s most realized effort to date, with Van den Hoogen playing an active role in every step of the album process. It’s also her most intimate songwriting yet, inspired by such contemporary folk artists as Patrick Watson, Bon Iver, and Sufjan Stevens. The result is an intimate, playful, and delicate piece of dreamy happy and sad indie folk.
“I think what you hear in this music is time,” Van den Hoogen reflects. Patient, heartfelt, and crafted with care, ‘A Room of One’s Own’ is both an ending and a new beginning for Anne van den Hoogen and her Rosemary & Garlic project. “While recording the songs, I became pregnant with my son,” she shares. “Looking back at the process, I realize that through these songs I cleared up my own space and started making room for him.”
“I hope listeners take these songs with them and attach them to some moments they are living in now; that they can grow with them like some of my favorite music can grow with me. Take the songs on your path and find some comfort in them.”
Listen To Rosemary & Garlic's 'A Room Of One's Own' HERE.
