B-Side Guys

Rob recorded the chorus riff as fog lifted, revealing Kent’s skyline across the River Thames from Essex. That moment of clarity—landscape emerging from obscurity—provides the conceptual anchor for Rooskin’s first direct instrumental attempt. “Kent Comes Into View” functions as musical documentation of a specific place and time, channeling Glass Beams and Khruangbin’s approach to guitar playing while maintaining the Essex indie-pop band’s signature warmth.

The track operates as dialogue between Rob’s and Pete’s guitars, the latter adding signature vocals (used texturally rather than lyrically) and complementary guitar lines during production. What could have been a solitary exercise becomes collaborative, two players responding to each other with the kind of natural back-and-forth that comes from established rapport. The downtempo framework gives both instruments room to breathe, letting phrases unfold without rushing toward resolution.

Rooskin’s reputation for summery sounds and warm synths might seem at odds with an autumn-focused instrumental, but “Kent Comes Into View” proves their approach translates across seasons. The feelgood, easy-going quality that’s earned them comparisons to Real Estate and DIIV remains intact even without hooky vocals carrying the melody. The production maintains their attention to warming harmonies and effects, finding ways to create enveloping atmosphere through instrumental interplay rather than vocal layering.

For a band described as “the right mix and balance between saccharine pop and indie pop,” this instrumental marks a subtle evolution. It demonstrates that their distinctive melodies and laid-back approach don’t depend on lyrics to function—the guitars themselves communicate clearly enough. The fourth single from their debut album (expected spring 2026), “Kent Comes Into View” arrives perfectly timed for autumn months, offering the musical equivalent of watching weather systems move across water, waiting for clarity to emerge.

The track’s origin story—written while gazing across the Thames on a foggy day—embeds itself in the music’s patient unfolding. There’s no dramatic revelation when the fog lifts, just gradual recognition of familiar shapes. Rob and Pete’s guitars mirror that process, revealing the Kent skyline note by note, line by complementary line, proving that sometimes the best way to capture a place is to let it speak through instruments rather than words.