Rosa Bordallo (f/k/a Manett) is a singer-songwriter and a Chamorro from the island of Guam. She has been living in New York City since the age of nineteen, and has written, recorded, and released several albums and EPs as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock band, cholo. Her second full-length solo album, ‘Isidro’ was recently released of which the artist has said “I wrote these songs in 2021 and 2022, in the shadow of the pandemic and New York City’s recovery. I was grieving personal tragedies as well as the collective loss. It was the realisation that my ancestors survived their own catastrophic near demise that gave me perspective. I’m a survivor. We all are.”
There`s a brief spoken word intro prior to `Home` which is just that, a communication from home which triggers the singer in a reminiscence which leaves her slightly melancholic at the difficulties that trouble her birthplace. The song has a delightfully wavering sound which reflects the sadness of the piece.
`Forest Honey` is another introspective musing but this time on a previous romance that the narrator has moved on from. The lyrics mention the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice and a possible comparison. The track has a wonderful dreamy uplifting feel with some breathy vocals sprinkled throughout. We have a rolling slow burn with shimmering guitar chords in `Rogue Wave` which may reflect on an unhealthy romance which at the same time was quite compelling. It`s delivered vocally in an almost detached manner.
`Crasseux` is a French adjective that translates to “filthy” or “very dirty” in English and can also be translated as a grubby little boy. The number itself has a compelling jagged kind of stop start texture. If I’m honest the lyrics were slightly surreal and a bit beyond my comprehension. There`s a much more sombre sense to `Leavetaking` which does pick up pace as it evolves.
`Cycads of Micronesia` is an instrumental number which has a rolling beat. The titles appears to refer to a large tree-like cycad native to the Micronesian islands of Guam, Rota, Palau, and Yap. There was a fairly ethereal vibe to `Silk Moth’s Revenge` an interesting slant on a species who are boiled alive inside their cocoons to obtain silk.
`Buried Treasure` I read is about grieving, crimes against humanity and call for social change. A fairly mesmerising and difficult listen lyrically. The album closes out with `I Feel Numb` which came to the singer as a reaction to world events: “I wrote this song around the time of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. My friends helped me translate the last verse into other languages. The Russian translation is courtesy of a friend who grew up in Kharkiv. Something can be so awful; it defies any explanation. Music has a way of transmuting that. The guitar solo might be my favourite of any I’ve ever written. One of my inspirations for this song was ‘Miss Sarajevo’ by Passengers.” The track itself is an enchanting listen and no better a song to end on.
`Isidro` I read somewhere online, is shaped by Rosa Bordallo’s journey from Guam to New York, a heartfelt reflection on a life lived, love lost, and the uncertain future in a chaotic world. This pretty well sums up this indie-pop and psychedelic rock tinged composition. At times it`s joyous and at others much more subdued and reflective but always absorbing. An artist to certainly keep an eye on.
Rating 8.5/10
REVIEW: ROSA BORDALLO – ISIDRO (2025)
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