The co-founder of Vampire Weekend fuses Americana with his Persian roots.
We have Rostam Batmanglij to thank for some wonderful songs from Vampire Weekend. In 2016, the producer left the band to devote himself to his solo career. Since then he has worked for Haim, Benee and Carly Rae Jepsen. In comparison, his own pieces have (wrongly) remained under the radar.
His third album AMERICAN STORIES is particularly eclectic. Americana sounds meet the saz, the long-necked lute, from the Iranian musical tradition. In this way, the singer and songwriter reflects his identity as an Iranian and an American. When Rostam first layered microtonal saz melodies over Western guitar chords, he was irritated by the tonal friction. But if something rubs, it can also generate heat. That’s exactly what the album achieved.
Persian sound elements and pedal steel: This doesn’t just fit in “Different Light” surprisingly good. The song is also strangely touching “Hardy”which features Iranian-American musician Amir Yaghmai on violin. The playful style is reminiscent of Vampire Weekend, for whom Rostam worked again in the late 1900s. Also the melancholic mood of the album “The Weight” finds a great conclusion, reminiscent of his old band. It’s about forgiveness, freedom, love and how all of these have something to do with each other.
