Half-Light
Vampire Weekend fans were devastated when Rostam Batmanglij quit to pursue fresh opportunities in 2016. This curiosity shop of a debut album justifies his liberation. The three Vampire Weekend albums he helmed are hardly predictable fare, but here Batmanglij’s invention is left entirely unchecked, and it’s glorious. The gorgeous title track moves like a dream—a lovelorn appeal that gives way to a chugging Beatles rhythm section before Wet’s Kelly Zutrau offers a haunting final reply. This warmth embraces each track. “Bike Dream”’s art rock radiates a boyish charm, while “Wood”—a forgotten treasure that first appeared online in 2011—fuses wild Eastern percussion with the first flushes of love.
Half-Light is the debut album from Rostam, who is known for his work with Vampire Weekend and produced each of their three albums. The kaleidoscopic album features fifteen songs written, produced, and performed by Rostam. The New Yorker says it's "a wondrous album, full of coy dreams and quiet yearning." The Daily Beast calls it "a sublime collection of baroque pop ... one of the more extraordinary records of the year."
The intimate, elliptical solo debut from producer and former Vampire Weekender gorgeously traces the stories and sounds of his past.
Rostam Batmanglij left Vampire Weekend last year, but he didn’t head for the beach to relax: The multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter had already released some solo material, formed a duo with the singer of Ra Ra Riot called Discovery, collaborated with The Walkmen’s Hamilton Leithauser on an excellent…
The former Vampire Weekend man sets himself apart from both his the band and his production work with an ambitious first LP
Four years since Vampire Weekend’s last album comes the debut solo release from departed member Rostam Batmanglij.
Longing and heartbreak are universal themes, but what Rostam does here is make them accessible, thought-provoking in an artful manner.
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Since leaving Vampire Weekend last year, producer-songwriter extraordinaire Rostam Batmanglij has been dipping his finger in a number of mus...
It's hard to believe Rostam Batmanglij is only now releasing his debut solo album.
Founding member of producer with Vampire Weekend, Rostam Batmanglij's debut solo album 'Half-Light' is a tender collection of experimental songs.
Our review of Rostam's 'Half-Light' proving exactly what he brings to his band and what he brings without them.