Rostam Lifts The Curtain On His Stunning New Album
Half-Light, the debut solo release from former Vampire Weekend producer and multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, is one of the year's most arresting albums. Its breathtaking choral and string arrangements, idiosyncratic beats and intricate wordplay make it practically impossible to hear without giving it your undivided attention. Moments of profound beauty give way to a kind of sonic chaos and wonder that can leave your head spinning.
Batmanglij, who writes and records as Rostam, could never be accused of making overly simplistic or obvious music. During his ten-year run with Vampire Weekend (he left the band in early 2016), he steered the group in always surprising directions, helping to reshape pop music with West African guitar licks crossed with unusual polyrhythms and joyful melodies.
As a solo artist, Rostam's songs are more like collages about ideas and feelings than linear or story-driven narratives, so he's often reluctant to dig too deep into the specifics or any particular inspiration behind them. One recurring theme on is denial — of identity, of circumstances, of the past — with elusive, shifting perspectives and points of view. But it's ultimately a labor of love, driven by instinct and what Rostam told was his need "to
