Arooj Aftab – ‘Night Reign’ album review: a mystic mingling of jazz
THE SKINNY: There is a hushed and mystic grace to the way that Arooj Aftab approaches her new record, Night Reign. Now four solo albums into the Pakistani-American musician’s discography, Aftab has conflated the sounds of her heritage with more elegance and affinity than ever before, creating a jazz-Lahorian sound akin to Billie Holiday performing in the foothills of the Himalayas.
With an array of collaborators, such as Cautious Clay and Chocolate Genius, entering the fray, the record needed to be assured in its mood to tie together all the disparate elements it attempts to weave into one. Thankfully, it most certainly is aware of itself. The result of Pakistani folk toplines colliding with American bebop jazz compositional styles and the inflexions of many collaborators on top is consistently dreamy, thanks to Aftab’s confident and grounding core.
While the instrumentation might be challengingly dense at times and starkly minimalist at others, the emotions and themes are never lost in the melee. In fact, they serve as a spirit guide through the record. The result is that familiar feelings are conjured from unfamiliar soundscapes. These are wistful tales from the wee small hours, just not as we’ve heard them before.
Despite the evident experimentation, the element that proves most captivating throughout is the hushed vocals of Aftab. There is a stirring range to her serene crooning cadence that makes for something that is both gentle yet full of feeling to an almost eerie degree. That alluring mix renders Night Reign an enticing darkness to wade into. There’s a blanket pulled over this record, but it’s as wide as the Himalayan sky, offering great scope and humble comfort in equal measure.
For fans of: Going to the beach at night and the Brad Pitt movie Babel.
A concluding comment from the ghost of Blue Gene Tyranny: “Quite right, if you want hooks you should visit the Alnwick Fishing Tackle Museum. There’s not a hit in sight here, and I approve.”
Night Reigns track by track:
Release Date: May 31st | Producer: Arooj Aftab | Label: Verve Records
‘Aey Nehin’: A delicate opening sees soft plucked strings serve as a sleepy bed for Aftab’s serene vocals. Flourishes of Pakistani instrumentation break up the minimalist hum, creating a dynamic track. [4/5]
‘Na Gul’: Urdu poetry allows Aftab to delve deep into the history of her heritage while dissonant jazz chords on the increasingly prominent piano showcase the present disposition. This creates a fascinating melding of cultural sounds. [4/5]
‘Autumn Leaves (ft. James Francies)’: A more percussive track creates a counterpoint at the perfect point on the lulling record. There is a sense of brooding darkness in the strangely subverted seamlessness reminiscent of the compositions of Chet Baker, just not quite as manageable. [3.5/5]
‘Bolo Na (ft. Moor Mother, Joel Ross)’: A bassline lifted from a heist movie is an interesting pulse point to choose for a track about a crisis of faith. However, that typifies the record’s strange allure and constant interest. [3.5/5]
‘Saaqi (ft. Vijay Iyer)’: A sweeter and more serene cut sees Aftab revert to more familiar minimalism. This is a luscious effort that could’ve been on her collaborative album Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily back in 2023. [4/5]
‘Last Night (Reprise) (ft. Cautious Clay, Kaki King, Maeve Gilchrist)’: Some impressive double-bass slapping showcases the quality of musicianship that runs throughout the album. However, no instrumentation is finer than Aftab’s sultry vocals here. [4.5/5]
‘Raat Ki Rani’: If any encapsulates the conceptual mood of the record, then it’s ‘Raat Ki Rani’. The nocturnal tones are resplendent as Aftab’s hushed voice and feel almost incongruous with the music that provides a sense of movement, creating a feeling that you’re walking around somewhere where you shouldn’t. [4/5]
‘Whiskey’: It’s an experimental album that doesn’t bother itself with singles, but if you were to pluck any track to spin on the radio, then ‘Whiskey’ would be my pick. It’s more traditionally jazz-like in style, with modern synth tones subverting the traditionalist lyrical delivery. [4.5/5]
‘Zameen (ft. Chocolate Genius, Inc.)’: ‘Zameen’ is a traditional, peaceful number to close the record on. While it doesn’t differ massively in tone from what we’ve heard throughout, there is a tighter breeziness to its melody that mimics the sense of dawn and its sober clarity. [4/5]
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