Half-Light by Rostam

It’s been nearly five years since the last Vampire Weekend album, and boy do I miss them. Do you, too? What if I told you you could have what sounds like a Vampire Weekend album right now? What if I told you it might even be better than any Vampire Weekend album? Read on…

Rostam Batmanglij used to be in Vampire Weekend. At 24, he produced the band’s self-titled debut all on his personal Mac using Pro Tools, in addition to singing background vocals and playing many of the instruments (which, incidentally, came out ten years ago this month!). Some would argue that he made Vampire Weekend what it is — and perhaps that’s also why we haven’t been graced with a new Vampire Weekend album, since Rostam left the band two years ago.

The son of Iranian immigrants, Rostam has رستم, his Persian name, written in bold script across the front of the album. I knew I liked his music, but was surprised to learn just how much I’ve liked him over the years. He has produced many songs from previous Top 31 winners, including Hamilton Leithauser (#11 in 2014), Frank Ocean (#4 in 2016), and Francis and the Lights (#21 in 2016). And Rostam and Hamilton Leithauser’s joint album, I Had a Dream That You Were Mine, was #19 last year.

Half-Light, Rostam’s solo debut, was produced by both he and Ariel Rechtshaid, who both won grammies for their jointly-produced Vampire Weekend album Modern Vampires of the City (#3 in 2013). The debut sounds so much like Vampire Weekend, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the two. And just like Vampire Weekend, the album sounds a little too close to 80s Paul Simon at times (including sampling the drums from Simon’s “The Obvious Child” on “Don’t Let It Get To You”). This is a stellar album, front-to-back, and one I’ll be listening to just as often as I listen to Vampire Weekend’s albums (which is a lot). I predict you will be, too.

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3. Everything Now by Arcade Fire
4. Sleep Well Beast by The National
5. Soul of a Woman by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
6. Relaxer by Alt-J
7. Hot Thoughts by Spoon
8. Colors by Beck
9. Mental Illness by Aimee Mann
10. The Wild by The Rural Alberta Advantage
11. american dream by LCD Soundsystem
12. Crack-Up by Fleet Foxes
13. Famous Last Words by The True Loves
14. Cry Cry Cry by Wolf Parade
15. Pure Comedy by Father John Misty
16. Shake the Shudder by !!!
17. La La Land (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by La La Land
18. The Underside of Power by Algiers
19. What Now by Sylvan Esso
20. 50 Song Memoir by The Magnetic Fields
21. Plunge by Fever Ray
22. DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar
23. Capacity by Big Thief
24. The Tourist by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
25. CCFX EP by CCFX
26. Woodstock by Portugal. The Man
27. MASSEDUCTION by St. Vincent
28. On the Spot by Hot 8 Brass Band
29. A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs
30. Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister
31. A Moment Apart by Odesza

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