Love in Exile (album)
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.
| Love in Exile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily | ||||
| Released | March 24, 2023 | |||
| Length | 75:12 | |||
| Language | Urdu | |||
| Label | Verve | |||
| Producer |
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| Arooj Aftab chronology | ||||
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| Vijay Iyer chronology | ||||
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| Shahzad Ismaily chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Love in Exile | ||||
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Background and recording
Aftab, Iyer, and Ismaily first performed live together in New York in 2018, a performance in which Pitchfork's Philip Sherburne said it "became unclear who was leading whom, or even where one musician ended and the next began".[1] The trio came together in a studio in New York to record their first album together.[2] They recorded live, taking the same positions as that live performance: Aftab singing in Urdu, Iyer playing piano and electronics, and Ismaily playing electric bass and Moog synthesizer.[1]
Release
On February 23, 2023, the trio announced the album and released its lead single, "To Remain/To Return".[3] Iyer described the song as "reveal[ing] not just the melody but the birth of a song. I hear Shahzad and myself establishing these haunted cycles, then slowly and delicately transforming them, as Arooj glides across like a dark moon."[3] Sherburne called the track "a small miracle of telepathy occurring across nine spellbinding minutes."[1]
The album was released on March 24, 2023, by Verve Records.[4][5]
Reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 85/100[4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The Guardian |   [5] |
| Mojo | [6] |
| Pitchfork | 8.5/10[7] |
| Uncut | 8/10[8] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Love in Exile received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 85 out of 100 from 5 critic scores.[4] Pitchfork called the album the best new music of the week.[7]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "To Remain/To Return" | 9:17 |
| 2. | "Haseen Thi" | 12:08 |
| 3. | "Shadow Forces" | 14:04 |
| 4. | "Sajni" | 8:07 |
| 5. | "Eyes of the Endless" | 14:40 |
| 6. | "Sharabi" | 13:36 |
| 7. | "To Remain / To Return" (Excerpt) | 3:20 |
| Total length: | 75:12 | |
Personnel
- Arooj Aftab – producer, arranger, vocals
- Vijay Iyer – producer, arranger, piano (1, 3, 4, 6, 7), Rhodes piano (2, 5, 6), electroacoustic realization (1, 5–7)
- Shahzad Ismaily – producer, arranger, electric bass, Moog synthesizer
- Damon Whittemore – recording engineer, mixing engineer
- Matt Colton – mastering engineer
References
- Sherburne, Philip (February 24, 2023). "Arooj Aftab / Vijay Iyer / Shahzad Ismaily: "To Remain/To Return" Track Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- Ehrlich, Brenna (March 22, 2023). "Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily Share a Beautiful Soundscape on Love in Exile". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- Brodsky, Rachel (February 23, 2023). "Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily – "To Remain / To Return"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- "Love in Exile by Arooj Aftab Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- Kalia, Ammar (March 3, 2023). "Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily: Love in Exile review – a trio in striking harmony". The Guardian. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- "Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, & Shahzad Ismaily - Love in Exile". Mojo. May 2023. p. 84.
- Kappal, Bhanuj (March 28, 2023). "Arooj Aftab / Vijay Iyer / Shahzad Ismaily: Love in Exile Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- Pattison, Louis (May 2023). "Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, & Shahzad Ismaily". Uncut. p. 33.