released: may 31, 2024

genre: pakistani folk / jazz

from: lahore, pakistan / new york, usa

label: verve recordings

a few thoughts: arooj aftab’s music is hypnotic and immersive. so much so that every time i put her albums on, i feel completely sucked into the experience, and her fourth studio album night reign may be my favourite of hers to date. for those not familiar, arooj aftab is a pakistani-american / new york based singer, songwriter, composer and producer. her music is entrancing, with slow, sensual and luscious live instrumentation. “aey nehin” kicks the album off with what sounds like sweet dynamic harp melody, a subtle but poignant bass, and arooj’s soulful, sensual singing that is utterly captivating throughout this track and the album as a whole. the guitar arpeggios that come in are incredible as well, and the atmospheric energy is complemented by the beautiful and intricate melodies. the hypnotic “na gul” is a minimalistic track, with strings and arooj’s powerful vocal performance, melancholic yet sensual in her delivery. “autumn leaves” featuring james francies on keys is another stunning track, more eerie in its tone, as arooj’s lyrics about love and sensuality and dealing with change like falling leaves in autumn. “bolo na” featuring moor mother and joel ross is my favourite on the album, and one of my fav tracks this year so far. the haunting basslines, keys and vocals make for a stunning listen. the atmospheric quality of the track is complemented by utterly stunning compositions, and a breathtaking moor mother verse, who questions the meaning of her feelings and the love and pain she feels. the way she flows throughout is incredible, with vibraphones from joel and poignant oud melodies that are just incredible throughout. a truly stunning track. “saaqi” featuring vijay iyer is a slow-paced, immersive listening experience, with an atmosphere to it that is light and reflective, with incredible keys that are stunning and beautiful. “last night reprise” featuring cautious clay, kaki king and maeve gilchrist, with its jumpy basslines, strings and guitar leads is another fantastic track off the album. compositionally, it’s utterly breathtaking and inducing, with intricacies and subtleties to the arrangements that make it such a joy to listen to. the more dynamic and “raat ki rani” brings the energy of the album up a little, with stunning piano, subtle drumming and arooj’s sublime vocals adding so much emotion and beauty to the track. the colourful and embracing “whiskey” is uplifting and beautiful, with gorgeous string and guitar-driven melodies that add to the aura of the track, with its melancholia and reflective energy. “zameen” featuring chocolate genius is a stunning closer, slow-paced, incredible emotive and breathtaking. stripped back vocals, an immersive piano composition and strings throughout that make this the most peaceful, beautiful way to close the album. overall, with night reign arooj aftab has created a masterpiece, a delicate, immersive and stunningly entrancing album that will likely go down as one of my favourites of the year.

the album: