Arooj Aftab is a four time Grammy-nominated artist we featured in Tape Op issue #157. With Pakistani roots, she sings in Urdu and English, and became one of my favorite vocalists the moment I saw her performing on a live broadcast a few years ago. Her new album, Night Reign, flows over us like a late evening jazz session with harps, vibes, upright, piano, guitars, and – of course – Arooj's expressive vocals. Musical guests include Kaki King, Moor Mother, Joel Ross, Shahzad Ismaily, Elvis Costello, and Vijay Iyer, among many others. Most of the tracking was done by Damon Whittemore at Power Station at BerkleeNYC, with its amazing-sounding live room and quality gear, and other sessions were recorded by Joshua Valleau at The Glass Wall, NYC, who also mixed most of the album. Mastering is by Daddy Kev (Kevin Marques Moo).
It's a real listening treat, and the sonic quality of the album is top notch, so please check out Night Reign now!
-Larry Crane
Read the Tape Op Interview with Arooj Aftab
Watch the Video for "Raat Ki Rani"
