The album I've been most bowled over by this year (so far) is Vulture Prince by composer-singer Arooj Aftab: https://aroojaftab.bandcamp.com/album/vulture-prince.
Some previous discussion here: Rolling Global Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2021 Thread (Often African bands).
The description on her Bandcamp page captures the unique blend of styles: "Aftab’s liminal sound floats between classical minimalism and new age, Sufi devotional poetry and electronic trance, jazz structures and states of pure being."
But I think that makes it sound much more ethereal than it is. The record sounds very live, very corporeal in terms of voices, breaths, fingers on strings. Her presence is intimate and immediate; as graceful as it is you're not drifting through a dreamspace. It's also deeply emotional, as the rather good Pitchfork review gets into.
I'd talk about some stand-out tracks—and I can't not highlight "Last Night," a gently skanking & dubby rendition of a Rumi poem—but the whole thing is organically brilliant.
I'm going to spend more time with this before checking out her previous work, but rapturous appreciation posts of all kinds welcome.
― rob, Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:17 (three years ago) link
heard a track from this on WFMU a month or so ago and thought it sounded amazing. bummed the lp is sold out, but glad to be reminded of it, will listen now.
― mizzell, Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:21 (three years ago) link
I sampled the first few minutes of the opening track after reading p4k’s review the other day and immediately added the album to my list.
― pomenitul, Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:24 (three years ago) link
Says the LP willl be back in stock in a month. The clip I heard gave me the same initial feeling as Julie Byrne. Is that way off overall?
― Evan, Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:26 (three years ago) link
I don't know who Byrne is! Give me a song and I'll report back
― rob, Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:28 (three years ago) link
https://badabingrecords.bandcamp.com/track/sleepwalker
I mean, I only heard a few seconds of the song Mohabbat and my brain made a connection.
― Evan, Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:33 (three years ago) link
thanking you for this thread, rob! was thinking of making one myself after I listened to the album yesterday, but I’m happy you came through first
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:35 (three years ago) link
Evan: oh I do recognize this cover. I would say there is definitely a bit of this kind of thing going on (esp in the song you tried), but Aftab also sings in Urdu and draws on ghazals and Sufi poetry and in general doesn't sound too songwriter-y
breastcrawl: my pleasure! and cheers to calzino for mentioning it
― rob, Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:39 (three years ago) link
it's lovely and versatile.
― Draymond is "Mr Dumpy" (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:47 (three years ago) link
did not know i needed "Dub Sufi" but hey
― Draymond is "Mr Dumpy" (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:48 (three years ago) link
what a voice she has as well, it's an incredible album.
― calzino, Thursday, 29 April 2021 15:50 (three years ago) link
I plan to check out her earlier work, but were people already following her? I hadn't heard her name until you mentioned it calzino
― rob, Thursday, 29 April 2021 15:52 (three years ago) link
someone I follow on twitter mentioned her in his weekly roundup of new releases. I'd never heard of her before.
― calzino, Thursday, 29 April 2021 15:56 (three years ago) link
she was featured as an album of the day on bandcamp daily, that's how i found her. i usually check out those articles and if the description moves me i give it a shot
https://daily.bandcamp.com/album-of-the-day/arooj-aftab-vulture-prince-review
i'd venture to say her album is closer to album of the year than album of the day haha *rimshot*
― the mai tai quinn (voodoo chili), Thursday, 29 April 2021 16:38 (three years ago) link
Adding to all the praise. Been a remarkable year in music, really.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 29 April 2021 17:01 (three years ago) link
ILM Archival Servicefrom the Hallelujah Poll, poll Halleluja.... poll:she ended 7th (along with a host of others)
Poll ResultsOption Votes1.Jeff Buckley 153.John Cale 122.Leonard Cohen 1019.Happy Mondays 622.Bono 28.Rufus Wainwright 240.Arooj Aftab 1[...]― Mark G, vrijdag 26 november 2010 12:59
a friend of mine just played drums with her on a gig (not a meshell gig, backing up arooj aftab...anyone go to that?)― this is unusual for batman. (Jordan), woensdag 2 november 2011 15:04The NYC club listing below is not clear--are they playing Pakistani music?“An incredible incredible stupendous stupendous group of humans will walk and run and dream and weep through an evening of songs by Arooj Aftab and Grey Mcmurray.The Sea Gazing Family Band for the night of October 29th 2011 will be:Arooj Aftab Mathias Kunzli Joshua Valleau Conor Elmes Norman Vladimir Grey Mcmurray and Meshell Ndegeocello”― curmudgeon, woensdag 2 november 2011 15:24pakistani jazz?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLvAAzEOqM0― this is unusual for batman. (Jordan), woensdag 2 november 2011 15:43
Al Sarah and the Nubatones // Arooj Aftab // DJ UshkaA night of ultimate contemporary world and roots fusion sounds! [...]Arooj Aftab will perform a duo set of acoustic, pre-partition, sufi inspired south asian semi classical music with Guitarist and Co-Composer Bhrigu Sahni.The show is at a secret location on Saturday Sept 29th in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. You must RSVP, attendance is by invitation only. Send a message to alsarah5✧✧✧@gm✧✧✧.c✧✧ and you will recieve a confirmation email with time and exact location. Not a good look to miss this, so see you there!!― EVERYONE COOKING SCMABLED EGGS,CHEESE WITH TOASTER!! (forksclovetofu), vrijdag 28 september 2012 20:28
April 28 – Arroj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shazad Ismaily https://www.joespub.com/Tickets/Calendar/PlayDetailsCollection/Joes-Pub/2019/Arooj-Aftab-Vijay-Iyer--Shazad-Ismaily-Trio/?SiteTheme=JoesPub
August 7 – Jesus Carmona / Arooj Aftab – Dance - FREEhttp://www.lincolncenter.org/out-of-doors/show/jesus-carmona-and-arooj-aftab
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Thursday, 29 April 2021 17:52 (three years ago) link
Listening to "Mohabbat" on Bandcamp...it's nice. It seems like I was sent a promo, so I'll check out the whole album.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Thursday, 29 April 2021 22:55 (three years ago) link
I'm halfway through the first song and it's amazing. Though its different, it hits similar spots for me as that Alabaster DePlume record.
― keto keto bonito v industry plant-based diet (PBKR), Thursday, 29 April 2021 22:57 (three years ago) link
Adore this album
― Tim F, Friday, 30 April 2021 02:51 (three years ago) link
"Mohabbat": all that balancing on the acoustic guitar cycle, the vocal notes occasionally venturing, returning closer to the hub (yes also thinking of bicycle guitar): makes me think of 60s Joni and Fairport, like if they did another otherwise elusive JM song after "Eastern Rain"---yeah this and "Last Night" especially make me think of DePlume, and a production by Solid Air-era Martyn, eventually veering toward One World, if he were directing say Danny Thompson and Terry Cox--but the singer, confident as ever, never gets lost in the pile-on of my associations. Lots of other stuff on her bandcamp...April 28 – Arroj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shazad Ismaily Tell me this is on YouTube, or somewhere.
― dow, Friday, 30 April 2021 04:54 (three years ago) link
"Mohabbat" is also reminding me of how "Eastern Rain" and some other things on FC's What We Did On Our Holidays always had me thinking of East-West trade routes involving maybe the Arctic Circle, pre-Ice Age, say (thinking of that during Weed Age)
― dow, Friday, 30 April 2021 05:06 (three years ago) link
wow
wow wow wow wow wow
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Saturday, 1 May 2021 14:26 (three years ago) link
booming post :)
― rob, Saturday, 1 May 2021 14:42 (three years ago) link
I listened to this on long drive and it was very meditative. It put my mom to sleep (which she needed, lol).
― keto keto bonito v industry plant-based diet (PBKR), Sunday, 2 May 2021 00:30 (three years ago) link
oh wow this is astounding
― ufo, Thursday, 6 May 2021 21:55 (three years ago) link
Good interview here: https://pitchfork.com/features/rising/arooj-aftab-vulture-prince-interview/
Of note: she's recorded a to-be-released album with Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily as Love In Exile
― rob, Wednesday, 12 May 2021 14:09 (three years ago) link
I had no idea she was an Abida Parveen protégée of sorts. Now there's a legit lineage!
― pomenitul, Wednesday, 12 May 2021 15:01 (three years ago) link
Goddam
Program
Love in Exile performs as one continuous hour-long set.
Pictures help us to live in complete possession of our sense of sight…[they] send us back to life and to the other arts with the ability to see beauty all around us.—Duncan Phillips, 1926
Join us from the gallery exploring the senses in our exhibition Seeing Differently: The Phillips Collects for a New Century, for a transformative, hour-long musical meditation from composer/pianist Vijay Iyer, vocalist Arooj Aftab, and bassist Shazad Ismaily. Love in Exile creates lush, cathartic, and ritualistic soundscapes that activate visual works in the gallery by Leo Villareal, Malissia Pettaway, Rudolf De Crignis, and Richard Diebenkorn.
This performance will be broadcast on this event page and is free with registration. Once you have registered, return to this page on Sunday, May 9, scroll down to the section “Watch the Stream” and enter the password provided to you at registration. The performance will be available to view On-Demand.
https://www.phillipscollection.org/event/2021-05-09-vijay-iyer-arooj-aftab-and-shahzad-ismaily-love-exile
https://www.phillipscollection.org/sites/default/files/styles/feature_extra_large_no_crop_1200_/public/2021-04/wide%20final%20photo.jpg?itok=jdDLs0aT
― dow, Wednesday, 12 May 2021 16:40 (three years ago) link
You don't (and apparently no longer can) register to stream---I couldn't get the cart etc. to respond, so just clicked on the Vimeo, and here we go---already sounds awesome.
― dow, Wednesday, 12 May 2021 19:52 (three years ago) link
Three pieces, in total a little over 53 minutes. First is the longest, slowest, zoneist, zzzz-est for me, penultimately, but I woke up for final coalescence---main thing here is, this really is a group, and everybody gets enough room, but Iyer goes a bit far into the weeds sometimes---however, on the second piece, about 24 minutes in, he switches to electric piano, and the whole thing is a little faster, more discernibly developmental---on the third one, he goes back to the acoustic, Chopinesque, then she comes in sooner than on the second, he goes to both hands on the left side, with pedals, and Ismaily's Moog bass drone is ominous--she reaches some peaks all through, without ever losing her cool. I'll check their album for sure, but glad to have hers first.
― dow, Wednesday, 12 May 2021 21:21 (three years ago) link
O now this is the shit (occasionally seems like some instruments other than listed, but might be how the listed are used---wouldn't swear she's not the flute, also, like it says, A masterful expression of lyrical and acoustic soul, tripped out through analog voltage and experimental digital filters.)creditsreleased March 9, 2015
Bird Under WaterWritten, Arranged and Produced by Arooj Aftab
Arooj Aftab - VocalsJörn Bielfeldt - Drums/PercussionMario Carrillo - Contra-BassBhrigu Sahni - Acoustic/Electric GuitarMagda Giannikou - Accordion on tracks 2, 3 and 4Sonny Singh - Trumpet on tracks 2 and 5Baqir Abbas - Bansuri on track 1Rakae Jamil - Sitar on track 3
Tracks 2, 3 and 5 co-written with Bhrigu SahniMixed and Mastered by Jeremy LoucasEngineered by Joshua Valleau and Alex SynerAlbum Art by Anum Awan and Yikun Lianghttps://aroojaftab.bandcamp.com/album/bird-under-water
― dow, Wednesday, 12 May 2021 23:20 (three years ago) link
Kind of a DePlume vibe, or related appeal,anyway, but maybe earlier in the day or evening, and a little more spare?https://alabasterdeplume.bandcamp.com/album/to-cy-lee-instrumentals-vol-1
― dow, Monday, 31 May 2021 22:06 (three years ago) link
Sorry, meant to link re Carlos Niño & Friends on Rolling Jazz, but Arooj fans might dig that album too.
― dow, Monday, 31 May 2021 22:11 (three years ago) link
certainly digging it
― corrs unplugged, Tuesday, 1 June 2021 15:35 (three years ago) link
she’s on obama's summer playlist lol
― the mai tai quinn (voodoo chili), Saturday, 10 July 2021 14:37 (three years ago) link
prob freaking out a lotta rightwingnuts who have no idea who she is
― Yours in Sorrow, A Schoolboy: (forksclovetofu), Monday, 12 July 2021 15:29 (three years ago) link
Suroor might be my highlight from Vulture Prince, but there are moments in every song where she stops me in whatever I was doing. I also love how she manages to jump from orchestral to reggae to harp-folk to post-rock delicate soundscapes in an otherwise very consistent style. Suroor sounds like a Mande-Arabic fusion, in a pleasant unplaceable global way that I guess is the new platonic ideal of world music.
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 21 July 2021 10:01 (three years ago) link
there are moments in every song where she stops me in whatever I was doing
I hadn't listened to this in a little while, but I put it on while in mountains with some friends for the first time in a year and everyone was totally spellbound. It's really powerful
― rob, Wednesday, 21 July 2021 13:03 (three years ago) link
yeah you gotta be careful where and when you put it on haha
it’s firmly a “don’t drive with this” album for me, along with prefab sprout’s i trawl the megahertz
― bezos did the dub (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 21 July 2021 13:17 (three years ago) link
I wonder how much Obama pays his playlist consultants
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 21 July 2021 13:17 (three years ago) link
and are they hiring? I always feel mildly owned when those lists drop lol
do we have a driving music thread? vc's post reminds me of a friend who would drive to stuff like Stars of the Lid and Windy & Carl that would 100% result in my death if I tried it
― rob, Wednesday, 21 July 2021 13:33 (three years ago) link
Heard this for the first time yesterday and was utterly entranced. By necessity, so much of my listening these days is done while doing other things - working, cooking, chores, etc. It is rare that an artist so completely pulls me out of my immediate focus and compels me to listen the way this did from the opening track.
― Indexed, Thursday, 2 September 2021 13:54 (three years ago) link
best album of the year, imo
― grove street (party) direction (voodoo chili), Thursday, 2 September 2021 14:01 (three years ago) link
nommed for best new artist at the grammys lol
― grove street (party) direction (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 23 November 2021 18:09 (three years ago) link
that's what the obama co-sign will do for you
― grove street (party) direction (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 23 November 2021 18:10 (three years ago) link
LMAO
― Indexed, Tuesday, 23 November 2021 18:46 (three years ago) link
also up for best global album i think.
― When Young Sheldon began to rap (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 23 November 2021 21:59 (three years ago) link
she's on my year-end list, great album
― J Edgar Noothgrush (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Tuesday, 23 November 2021 22:00 (three years ago) link
same
― maf you one two (maffew12), Tuesday, 23 November 2021 22:17 (three years ago) link
vinyl just went up on bandcamp i guess... last batches sold fast
― maf you one two (maffew12), Tuesday, 23 November 2021 22:24 (three years ago) link
New album Night Reign coming May 31. Moor Mother guests on a track
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 18 April 2024 16:38 (nine months ago) link
Contender for SOTY (so far) IMO
― Tim F, Friday, 19 April 2024 22:29 (nine months ago) link
US tour....in 2025, it looks like
― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Friday, 19 April 2024 23:06 (nine months ago) link
Such a beautiful song
― rob, Saturday, 20 April 2024 00:11 (nine months ago) link
― Tim F, Friday, April 19, 2024 6:29 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink
absolutely, my goodness
― ivy., Saturday, 20 April 2024 00:18 (nine months ago) link
I'm not so sure it works in isolation as a single, but I am sure it will in the context of the album. I like the instrumental development in the middle, the vocal effects are a bit much but still gorgeous.
― Nabozo, Sunday, 21 April 2024 08:59 (nine months ago) link
Agree, sounds like an album cut to me. Very hyped for this!
reminds me a bit of Sade's "Immigrant"
― corrs unplugged, Monday, 22 April 2024 07:21 (nine months ago) link
new song is lovely and mesmerizing as usual
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QwMt4tflD8
― the defenestration of prog (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 7 May 2024 18:41 (nine months ago) link
Wow.
“I think I’m ready to give into your beauty and let you fall in love with me”
This album looks set to be the best “X goes mainstream” heel turn ever
― Tim F, Tuesday, 7 May 2024 22:33 (nine months ago) link
gorgeous!
― ufo, Tuesday, 7 May 2024 23:56 (nine months ago) link
This is undeniable. Beautiful.
― I would prefer not to. (Chinaski), Wednesday, 8 May 2024 09:44 (nine months ago) link
Wow, she's following on Mohabbat and taking the progressive folk / singer-songwriter direction. I love the way she's been evolving her sound. This feels less minimalist and more orchestrated.
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 8 May 2024 12:00 (nine months ago) link
I like all the various approaches she has used including the latest
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 8 May 2024 17:23 (nine months ago) link
Rave review of new album in WSJ--paywallled, but I read the print at library: Mark Richardson says her mastery of various approaches is dazzling and totally accessible.
― dow, Thursday, 30 May 2024 00:53 (eight months ago) link
Rolling Stone has a paywalled piece on her too
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 30 May 2024 01:15 (eight months ago) link
So excited
― Tim F, Thursday, 30 May 2024 04:38 (eight months ago) link
first track on this is utterly divine
― ufo, Thursday, 30 May 2024 23:30 (eight months ago) link
wonderful album but that first track kinda towers over everything
― ufo, Friday, 31 May 2024 00:14 (eight months ago) link
i just keep listening to it on loop instead of the rest of the album
― ufo, Friday, 31 May 2024 05:34 (eight months ago) link
lol elvis costello plays on this?
― ufo, Friday, 31 May 2024 06:45 (eight months ago) link
First track is glorious (and reminds me of Bad Timing/Threeway/Eureka era Big Jim).
― I would prefer not to. (Chinaski), Friday, 31 May 2024 08:00 (eight months ago) link
I am midway through the second track and I want to say this was my most anticipated album of the year and rightly so
― Nabozo, Friday, 31 May 2024 08:30 (eight months ago) link
can confirm opening track is as good as anything on the debut, gorgeous
― corrs unplugged, Friday, 31 May 2024 09:18 (eight months ago) link
I'd say the whole album is as good as the debut: similar execution, meditative but moving, nuanced and mature but youthful, with a richer sound and collaborations, very satisfying balance. Compositions seem great and ideal to spend time with - some clothed in shadow, not immediately revealing, others brightly sensitive. I'm just babbling, when the album enjoins to sit and stay quiet, I'd post that if I could.
― Nabozo, Friday, 31 May 2024 09:50 (eight months ago) link
i think it's even better than the debut
― ufo, Friday, 31 May 2024 10:51 (eight months ago) link
This album is all I'm listening to today. Another highlight for me is the deep groove of the bass-driven Bola Na, Moor Mother's spoken voice being a great complement to her singing. I also like the double bass on Last Night Reprise, although it does not beat reggae, and obviously the bass on Raat Ki Rani. On the side of strings, several moments on Na Gul and Saaqi. All aside from Aey Nehin.
― Nabozo, Friday, 31 May 2024 13:28 (eight months ago) link
This is amazing.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 31 May 2024 22:17 (eight months ago) link
Album rules. Would not have thought she could top the debut but this might do it.
― Indexed, Saturday, 1 June 2024 18:43 (eight months ago) link
"Raat Ki Rani" is still the one for me on this album but the opener comes v close
― Murgatroid, Saturday, 1 June 2024 19:08 (eight months ago) link
― dow, Thursday, May 30, 2024
Oh, thanks for the heads-up (my libary has electronic access to WGJ). Geeta Dayal's written about it for 4 Columns, too:
https://4columns.org/dayal-geeta/arooj-aftab
― etc, Saturday, 1 June 2024 21:36 (eight months ago) link
That's a very good and enlightening review
I regret assuming Vulture Prince was her debut, I believe at the time of its release her earlier records were not streaming.
― corrs unplugged, Sunday, 2 June 2024 04:50 (eight months ago) link
this has prompted me to listen to the self-released debut "bird under water" which is excellent and confident
― corrs unplugged, Sunday, 2 June 2024 05:51 (eight months ago) link
love love love hearing kaki king's guitar on this
― ivy., Thursday, 6 June 2024 18:52 (eight months ago) link
this album is wonderful
I feel bad, but the only thing I could do without is the Moor Mother feature, just doesn't quite gel for me as much as I like them both and, theoretically, the idea of them collaborating
― rob, Thursday, 6 June 2024 19:03 (eight months ago) link
Sorry, but Moor Mother has a William Shatner cadence on that track. I can't unhear it.
― Chris L, Thursday, 6 June 2024 21:20 (eight months ago) link
the version of autumn leaves on here is gorgeous
― the defenestration of prog (voodoo chili), Thursday, 6 June 2024 21:50 (eight months ago) link
This is absolutely fantastic! All of the comments on the first track otm.
Hard to say that this is ""better"" than Vulture Prince, but this is definitely more up my alley.
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 13 June 2024 21:13 (seven months ago) link
Aey Nehin an Na Gul are wonderful, the rest of the album doesn't really work for me
― corrs unplugged, Friday, 14 June 2024 15:18 (seven months ago) link
The reprise of Last Night feels a bit inessential, but the rest is great, esp. Autumn Leaves.
― fetter, Friday, 14 June 2024 15:46 (seven months ago) link
Front row in Bristol Beacon last night. She sang. She bantered. She gave me (and about 20 other people) a whisky. Bloody phenomenal. What a voice.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Saturday, 2 November 2024 07:02 (three months ago) link
Sounds great
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 2 November 2024 18:16 (three months ago) link
anyone else prefer Night Reign to Vulture Prince
― Murgatroid, Saturday, 2 November 2024 18:28 (three months ago) link
Me. It feels more of a singular piece.
― the body of a spider... (scampering alpaca), Saturday, 2 November 2024 19:40 (three months ago) link
Vulture Prince is, as she herself said last night, a sad album, but Night Reign is more joyous, flirty, exciting. It has a broader emotional palette. I prefer it, just.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Saturday, 2 November 2024 23:58 (three months ago) link
And Siren Islands is something else entirely.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Sunday, 3 November 2024 23:14 (three months ago) link
caught the night reign tour, great band, "bolo na" was a surprise highlight, don't care much for the album version but it ruled! kinda metal vibe, droney, broody
and "last night" got the drum and bass treatment, super cool version
― corrs unplugged, Wednesday, 13 November 2024 18:39 (two months ago) link
I like em both. I hope that she continues to get year end acclaim in a music world focused on US and UK pop, and indie rock
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 14 November 2024 17:42 (two months ago) link
In which she meets Colbert (after performing awesomely btw, her band too)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaGus2qA1zE
― dow, Tuesday, 14 January 2025 22:40 (three weeks ago) link
Saw her in Vancouver tonight, she was very funny live! And there were more bass solos than I expected
― josh az (2011nostalgia), Tuesday, 21 January 2025 07:13 (two weeks ago) link
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Saturday, November 2, 2024 12:02 AM (two months ago) bookmarkflaglink
She told us she wanted to buy the audience shots, but alas, liquor laws here in BC meant she wasn’t allowed to do that :(
― josh az (2011nostalgia), Tuesday, 21 January 2025 07:14 (two weeks ago) link