Night Reign

Last updated

Night Reign
Night Reign.jpg
Studio album by
Arooj Aftab
ReleasedMay 31, 2024
Genre
Length48:43
Language Urdu, English
Label Verve
Producer Arooj Aftab
Arooj Aftab chronology
Love in Exile
(with Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily)
(2023)		Night Reign
(2024)
Singles from Night Reign
  1. "Raat Ki Rani"
    Released: April 18, 2024
  2. "Whiskey"
    Released: May 7, 2024

Night Reign is the fourth studio album by Pakistani singer and composer Arooj Aftab, released on May 31, 2024, by Verve Records. It was preceded by two singles, "Raat Ki Rani" and "Whiskey", with the former receiving a music video directed by Tessa Thompson.

Contents

Originally conceived as an album centering the Urdu-language poetry of Mah Laqa Bai Chanda, Night Reign has two songs based on Bai's words, as well and Urdu and English lyrics, some original and others based on other poets. The album features contributions from Gyan Riley, Kaki King, Maeve Gilchrist, Jamey Haddad, and Petros Klampanis, as well as guest musicians including Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily, Moor Mother, Elvis Costello, and Thompson's father Chocolate Genius, Inc.

The album consists of Pakistani folk music and bebop jazz, and centers thematically on darkness and the nighttime. It was received positively by critics, calling the album experimental and saying it deepened and expanded her sound, and was nominated twice at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.

Background

Night Reign follows Aftab's breakthrough album, 2021's Vulture Prince , for which she became the first Pakistani Grammy winner, [1] [2] got a song placed on Barack Obama's 2021 summer playlist, [1] [3] and signed to Verve Records. [1] With all the excitement around the album, Aftab grew worried about following it up with her next album which "need[ed] to be better, or at least the same... or at least it really needs to not suck. You know, when you have a record that people really love, you're kind of fucked, because the next one has to be equally good or better. And that's really scary. My mind was preoccupied with how to take the sound further." [1] Her original plans for the follow-up were an album centering the poetry of Mah Laqa Bai Chanda, the first female Urdu poet to publish a collection of her own work, whose poetry had not been set to music before, but the challenge stopped feeling creatively stimulating, so she abandoned it and kept two songs from it, "Na Gul" and "Saaqi". [1]

Writing and recording

Aftab brought a host of collaborators in for the record, including harpist Maeve Gilchrist, bassist Petros Klampanis, poet Moor Mother for a guest verse on "Bolo Na", and Elvis Costello playing the Wurlitzer on "Last Night Reprise". [1] Costello previously called Vulture Prince one of his cultural highlights of 2021. [4] Several songs also include work from percussionist Jamey Haddad, with Aftab bringing him in to help those songs have more groove. [1] The album also sees Aftab embracing the piano, her least favorite instrument which she calls "so fucking corny", after having toured with pianist Vijay Iyer for their collaborative album Love in Exile . [1]

The song "Last Night Reprise" is a revamp of the Vulture Prince song "Last Night". [5] [6] The new version originated on tour for Vulture Prince, where the band couldn't play "Last Night" in its original reggae style because they didn't have a drum kit. [5] Klampanis wrote a new bassline which became the basis for the new version. [5] Aftab compared it to the alternate versions of "Baghon Main" on Vulture Prince and the album before it, Bird Underwater, and said she would keep doing that on future albums. [5]

Aftab started writing "Bolo Na" in high school, inspired by teenage heartbreak and angst, but shelved it because she found it too cheesy. [5] She returned to the song with new lyrics written by herself and Moor Mother, focusing on the establishment. [5] Aftab said that while Night Reign mainly focuses on the "sassy, fun" side of her personality and sees her "talking about whiskey and queens", she didn't want to ignore darker aspects of the world, saying it would be tone deaf and dishonest to do so. [5] The album also features a rendition of the jazz standard "Autumn Leaves". [6]

Release

The album was announced on April 18, 2024, with a release date set for May 31, by Verve Records. [7] With the announcement came the lead single, "Raat Ki Rani", which Aftab said was about "a person whose allure, magnetism, and charisma floats through a beautiful evening garden party." [7] [8] It was named after cestrum nocturnum , a flowering plant also known as night-blooming jasmine, which is known in Urdu as "raat ki rani", meaning "queen of the night". [1] [9]

Aftab first came up with the melody and hook for the song in a hotel room, but wasn't sure where to take the song beyond that. [1] After consulting two Urdu-speaking writer friends who also had no ideas, Aftab settled with what she had, saying "Well, maybe it doesn't have to go anywhere. It's like what Nile Rodgers says — we all just want to get to the hook, so let's get to the hook. The song is just the hook." [1] The song centers the piano, and marks Aftab's first use of Auto-Tune in her music. [10] Aftab said she asked her mixing engineer to "put, like, T-Pain amounts of Auto-Tune on this and let's see how it sounds?", and says the two were "'horrified' at how much they liked it." [1]

"Raat Ki Rani" came with a music video directed by actor Tessa Thompson, her directorial debut, [7] and produced by Kishori Rajan, the head of Thompson's production company Viva Maude. [8] [9] The video features two women either falling in love or "starring in a Lynchian perfume commercial." [9] Per Thompson, the video is "about the fantasies we have sometimes about people we encounter. It's about the way we come to life in dark spaces. It's about how intoxicating something in bloom can be. I don't want to say much more because I am curious what people see in it. But it is also an homage to some films I am deeply influenced by." [9] Thompson's father, Marc Anthony Thompson, contributed to the album under the alias Chocolate Genius, Inc. [11] [9]

The second single, "Whiskey", was released on May 7. [12] [13] It features contributions from Kaki King and Gyan Riley on guitars, Maeve Gilchrist on harp, Linda May Han Oh on bass, Jamey Haddad on percussion, and TimaLikesMusic on synthesizer and piano. [12] Aftab said the song was "about being out at night with someone you like, but the evening gets a little carried away. My friend has had too much, now I am tired, and I need to figure out how to get us both home. But overall somehow the night and the interaction is still pretty cute." [12]

Live

With the announcement of the album, Aftab also announced tour dates for June 2024 through January 2025 in Europe and the United States, including six shows in September and October supporting Khruangbin. [10] [14] In May, Aftab was announced as one of the curators for the Dutch music festival Le Guess Who?, set for November 7–10. [15] Aftab's lineup will include performances by herself, her father Aftab Sr., Aja Monet, Dina El Wedidi, Meshell Ndegeocello, Noura Mint Seymali, and Zsela. [15]

Style and themes

The album has been described as Pakistani folk music colliding with American bebop jazz. [16] The album's lyrics are in both Urdu and English. [17]

Darkness and nighttime are a recurring theme in the album. [18] [6] [5] Critics said that the album sees Aftab "reclaim[ing] darkness, positioning the night as a time of mischief and enchantment", [18] and noted that Aftab has called nighttime her "biggest source of inspiration". [6] Aftab, asked in an interview about the presence of the moon, said "The moon is such a big character of the night, and we've talked about the moon so much in poetry and music and film, so I wanted to shift the focus to the major protagonist, the night. The moon is this powerful thing that reflects the light of the day. It ties us into the day. It makes us feel that we're not ignoring the day. We're not saying the day is less. The moon is there in the album through 'Last Night', but the night is actually the protagonist in question here. Not me, not my lover, not the moon: the night itself." [5] Aftab also noted a connection with Mah Laqa Bai Chanda and the 16th-century ruler Chand Bibi, given that "Chand" translates to "moon" and "Chand Bibi" means "Moon Lady". [5]

Reception

Night Reign ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 8.4/10 [19]
Metacritic 87/100 [20]
Review scores
SourceRating
Far Out Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [21]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [22]
Pitchfork 8.3/10 [17]
Spin A– [18]
Uncut 9/10 [23]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Night Reign received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 87 out of 100 from 6 critic scores. [20]

The Guardian 's Ammar Kalia said Night Reign was "one of [Aftab's] most spirited and experimental records to date, aiming to embody the nocturnal setting that provides the inspiration for her music", and called it "a welcome step forward". [21] The Wall Street Journal 's Mark Richardson said the album "expands [Aftab's] sound in important ways while remaining true to the path she's traveled so far." [24]

Far Out 's Tom Taylor wrote that "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." [16] Spin 's Vrinda Jagota said that, as opposed to Vulture Prince's showcase of restraint, grief, and yearning, Night Reign's "songs carry the unbridled excitement of a child equipped with a marker and an endless expanse of white wall. Full of jagged left turns and golden flourishes, they are unpredictable and dynamic. The joy they relay is less a sense of contentment than curiosity and willingness to embrace whatever could be." [18] Pitchfork 's Andy Cush called the album "wondrous" and said it "deepens the sound of her boundless folk-jazz style. Its gestures are bold, romantic, and often unforgettable." [17]

Awards and nominations

Night Reign awards and nominations
YearOrganisationAwardRecipientStatusRef.
2025 Grammy Awards Best Global Music Performance "Raat Ki Rani"Pending [25]
Best Alternative Jazz Album Night ReignPending

Year-end lists

Select year-end rankings for Night Reign
Publication/criticAccoladeRankRef.
MOJO 75 Best Albums of 202439 [26]
Uncut 80 Best Albums of 20244 [27]

Track listing

All music is composed by Arooj Aftab except where noted.

Night Reign track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Aey Nehin" Yasra Rizvi  5:45
2."Na Gul" Mah Laqa Bai Chanda  5:29
3."Autumn Leaves" (featuring James Francies)
 Joseph Kosma 4:46
4."Bolo Na" (featuring Moor Mother and Joel Ross)
 6:14
5."Saaqi" (featuring Vijay Iyer) Mah Laqa Bai Chanda  6:46
6."Last Night (Reprise)" (featuring Cautious Clay, Kaki King, and Maeve Gilchrist) Rumi  5:07
7."Raat Ki Rani"Aftab 5:13
8."Whiskey"Aftab 5:07
9."Zameen" (featuring Chocolate Genius, Inc.)Shamim Jaipuri
4:16
Total length:48:43

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Chart performance for Night Reign
Chart (2024)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [28] 36
Scottish Albums (OCC) [29] 44
UK Album Downloads (OCC) [30] 35

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elvis Costello</span> English singer-songwriter (born 1954)

Declan Patrick MacManus, better known by his stage name Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to Rolling Stone, Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical traditions of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison with the raw energy and sass that were principal ethics of punk", noting the "construction of his songs, which set densely layered wordplay in an ever-expanding repertoire of styles." His first album, My Aim Is True (1977), spawned no hit singles, but contains some of Costello's best-known songs, including the ballad "Alison". Costello's next two albums, This Year's Model (1978) and Armed Forces (1979), recorded with his backing band the Attractions, helped define the new wave genre. From late 1977 until early 1980, each of the eight singles he released reached the UK Top 30. His biggest hit single, "Oliver's Army" (1979), sold more than 500,000 copies in Britain. He has had more modest commercial success in the US, but has earned much critical praise. From 1977 until the early 2000s, Costello's albums regularly ranked high on the Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics' poll, with This Year's Model and Imperial Bedroom (1982) voted the best album of their respective years. His biggest US hit single, "Veronica" (1989), reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who Are You (The Who song)</span> Song by The Who

"Who Are You" is the title track on the Who's 1978 album, Who Are You, the last album released by the group before Keith Moon's death in September 1978. It was written by Pete Townshend and released as a double-A-sided single with the John Entwistle composition "Had Enough", also featured on the album. The song was one of the band's biggest hits in North America, peaking at number 7 in Canada and at number 14 in the United States, and has become one of the band's signature tunes at their live shows. The piano on the track is played by Rod Argent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tessa Thompson</span> American actress (born 1983)

Tessa Lynne Thompson is an American actress. She began her professional acting career with the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company while studying at Santa Monica College, appearing in productions of The Tempest and Romeo and Juliet. Following her role in Veronica Mars (2005–2006), her breakthrough came with leading roles in Tina Mabry's independent drama film Mississippi Damned (2009) and Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls (2010).

<i>Barsaat Ki Raat</i> 1960 film directed by P. L. Santoshi

Barsaat Ki Raat is a 1960 Indian Hindi-language romantic musical film directed by P. L. Santoshi and produced by R. Chandra. Starring Madhubala, Bharat Bhushan and Shyama, the film is considered a defining example of romantic musical film genre.

<i>Night Owl</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Gerry Rafferty

Night Owl is the third studio album by Scottish musician Gerry Rafferty. It was released a year after Rafferty's Platinum-selling album City to City. While not quite performing as well as its predecessor, Night Owl still managed enough sales to achieve platinum status in Canada, gold in the United Kingdom, and gold status in the U.S. The title song reached No. 5 on the UK charts. The album made the UK Top 10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accidents Will Happen</span> 1979 single by Elvis Costello and the Attractions

"Accidents Will Happen" is a song written by Elvis Costello and performed by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. It first appeared on the 1979 album Armed Forces. Costello wrote the song about his many infidelities during this period of his life, including an encounter Costello had with a taxi driver in Tucson, Arizona. The song originally featured a piano-centered arrangement and was inspired by songs such as "Anyone Who Had a Heart" and "Walk Away Renée".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulzar</span> Indian Urdu poet, lyricist and author (born 1934)

Gulzar is an Indian Urdu poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, and film director known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of greatest Urdu poets of this era. He started his career with music director S.D. Burman as a lyricist in the 1963 film Bandini and worked with many music directors including R. D. Burman, Salil Chowdhury, Vishal Bhardwaj and A. R. Rahman. Gulzar also writes poetry, dialogues and scripts. He directed films such as Aandhi and Mausam during the 1970s and the TV series Mirza Ghalib in the 1980s. He also directed Kirdaar in 1993.

Smriti Mishra is an Indian actress, most known for her roles in Shyam Benegal's Sardari Begum (1996), Sudhir Mishra's Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin (1996), Pamela Rooks's Train to Pakistan (1998), Manish Tiwary's Dil Dosti Etc (2007) and Vijay Singh's Jaya Ganga (1996).

Aaj Ki Raat (transl. Tonight!) is a 2006 Hindi song from the Bollywood film soundtrack for Don: The Chase Begins Again. The track is composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy trio with lyrics penned by Javed Akhtar. The song became more popular internationally when later used by AR Rahman in the Academy Award-winning 2008 soundtrack Slumdog Millionaire.

Khamma Mara Veera (Gujarati) / Rakshaa Bandhan (Hindi), is an Indian feature film in both Hindi and Gujarati versions that was released in 1976. The Gujarati version was more successful. The song "Poonam Ni Pyari Pyari Raat" Gujarati / "Poonam Ki Pyari Pyari Raat" (Hindi)" became popular.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agha Hashar Kashmiri</span> Urdu poet and playwright (1879-1935)

Agha Hashar Kashmiri was an Urdu poet, playwright and dramatist. A number of his plays were Indian Shakespearean adaptations.

<i>Poonam Ki Raat</i> 1965 Indian film

Poonam Ki Raat is a 1965 horror thriller film starring Manoj Kumar, Prem Chpra, and Rajendra Nath in lead roles. It was produced and directed by Kishore Sahu. The music was given by Salil Chowdhury, with lyrics by Shailendra.

Pushpa Hans Kapoor (1917–2011) was an Indian playback singer and actor of the Hindi and Punjabi film industries in the 1940s and 1950s. She was known for her songs in the 1950 Hindi film, Sheesh Mahal and her acting in the 1949 film Apna Desh. She was a recipient of the fourth highest Indian civilian award of the Padma Shri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arooj Aftab</span> Pakistani musician (born 1985)

Arooj Aftab is a Pakistani-American singer, composer, and producer. She has worked in various musical styles and idioms, including jazz and minimalism.

Maeve Gilchrist is a Scottish harpist and composer currently living in New York City. She is known for combining traditional folk music, jazz, improvisation, and experimentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muslehuddin (composer)</span> Pakistani and Bengali music composer (1932-2003)

Moslehuddin was a Pakistani film score composer and music director. He composed music for sixteen Lollywood films besides contributing to Pakistan Television, the BBC, Bengali music and stage and TV shows.

"'Tis the Damn Season" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with Aaron Dessner, who produced it using an instrumental track he had written prior. "'Tis the Damn Season" is a folk song instrumented by a finger-picked electric guitar and programmed drums. Narrated from the perspective of a female character named Dorothea, the lyrics detail her returning to her hometown during the holiday season and engaging in a quickly-faded rekindled relationship.

Nadje Noordhuis is an Australian trumpeter, composer and educator based in New York.

<i>Vulture Prince</i> 2021 studio album by Arooj Aftab

Vulture Prince is the third album by Pakistani musician Arooj Aftab, released by New Amsterdam Records on April 23, 2021. Thematically, the album discusses stories of people, relationships, and lost moments and is dedicated to the memory of her younger brother, Maher. "Mohabbat" won the Best Global Music Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.

<i>Love in Exile</i> (album) 2023 studio album by Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily

Love in Exile is an album by Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab, Indian-American pianist Vijay Iyer, and multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily, released on March 24, 2023, by Verve Records. It is the trio's first album together, recorded in a studio in New York. It was received positively by critics. At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, the album was nominated for Best Alternative Jazz Album and "Shadow Forces" was nominated for Best Global Music Performance.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Blistein, Jon (May 24, 2024). "Arooj Aftab Just Wants to Have Fun". Rolling Stone . Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Arooj Aftab becomes first Pakistani singer to win a Grammy". Al Jazeera English . April 4, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  3. ↑ Bloom, Madison (July 11, 2021). "Barack Obama Shares 2021 Summer Playlist: Jazmine Sullivan, Arooj Aftab, Wye Oak, More". Pitchfork . Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  4. ↑ Costello, Elvis (October 31, 2021). "On my radar: Elvis Costello's cultural highlights". The Guardian . Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Helfand, Raphael (June 6, 2024). "Arooj Aftab's constellations". The Fader . Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Ehrlich, Brenna (May 29, 2024). "Arooj Aftab Dreams Bigger Than Ever on Night Reign". Rolling Stone . Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 Monroe, Jazz (April 18, 2024). "Arooj Aftab Announces Album and Tour, Shares Video for New Song". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  8. 1 2 Chelosky, Danielle (April 18, 2024). "Arooj Aftab – "Raat Ki Rani"". Stereogum . Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Ehrlich, Brenna (April 18, 2024). "Tessa Thompson Brings Night-Blooming Romance to Arooj Atfab's "Raat Ki Rani" Video". Rolling Stone . Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  10. 1 2 Siroky, Mary (April 18, 2024). "Arooj Aftab Announces New Album Night Reign, Shares "Raat Ki Rani"". Consequence . Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  11. ↑ Pearis, Bill (April 18, 2024). "Arooj Aftab announces new album ft. Moor Mother, Vijay Iyer & more, shares "Raat Ki Rani"". BrooklynVegan . Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 Chelosky, Danielle (May 7, 2024). "Arooj Aftab – "Whiskey"". Stereogum . Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  13. ↑ Strauss, Matthew (May 7, 2024). "Arooj Aftab Shares New Song "Whiskey"". Pitchfork . Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  14. ↑ LaPierre, Megan (April 18, 2024). "Arooj Aftab Announces New Album Night Reign, North American Tour". Exclaim! . Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  15. 1 2 Pearis, Bill (May 23, 2024). "Le Guess Who? announces 2024 lineup curated by Darkside, Arooj Aftab, Bo Ningen, and more". BrooklynVegan . Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 Taylor, Tom (May 29, 2024). "Arooj Aftab – Night Reign album review: a mystic mingling of jazz". Far Out . Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 Cush, Andy (May 31, 2024). "Arooj Aftab: Night Reign Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Jagota, Vrinda (May 29, 2024). "Arooj Aftab Blends Sweetness With Beguiling Mystery on Night Reign". Spin . Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Night Reign by Arooj Aftab reviews". AnyDecentMusic? . Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  20. 1 2 "Night Reign by Arooj Aftab Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  21. 1 2 Kalia, Ammar (May 17, 2024). "Arooj Aftab: Night Reign review – all the heat and mystery of nocturnal life". The Guardian . Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  22. ↑ Pattison, Louis. "Arooj Aftab - Night Reign". Mojo .
  23. ↑ Segal, Victoria. "Arooj Aftab - Night Reign". Uncut .
  24. ↑ Richardson, Mark (May 28, 2024). "Night Reign by Arooj Aftab Review: Bridging Musical Borders" . The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  25. ↑ Atkinson, Katie (November 8, 2024). "Grammy Nominations 2025: See the Complete List". Billboard . Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  26. ↑ "MOJO's 75 Best Albums of 2024". albumoftheyear.org. November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  27. ↑ Pearis, Bill (November 8, 2024). "List Season comes early with Uncut's Top 80 Albums of 2024". brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  28. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Arooj Aftab – Night Reign" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  29. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  30. ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.