Night Reign

About

Arooj Aftab’s star-making 2021 album <i>Vulture Prince</i> was marked by a distinct and undeniable sadness—a chronicle of grief following the death of Aftab’s younger brother Maher, whom the record was dedicated to. Despite its many contributor, <i>Vulture Prince</i> felt nearly monastic in sound and focu, conjuring images of someone processing pain alone and amidst the cosmo, and since its release, the Pakistani American singer and composer has opened up her sonic world to increasingly thrilling effect. <i>Love in Exile</i>, released in 2023, found Aftab expanding the jazz side of her sound in collaboration with jazz pianist Vijay Iyer and multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily, and now her fourth solo album <i>Night Reign</i> reflects her biggest leap yet. It’s the kind of record that makes you realize that Aftab can, when it comes to songwriting and style, do pretty much anything—from smoldering balladry à la the late Jeff Buckley and Sade’s endless-sounding quiet storm to trip-hop’s shadowy iridescence—without losing an ounce of raw emotion. .

via Apple Music

The Clerk says

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