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. 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.
| Love in Exile | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| 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
editAftab, 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
editOn 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
edit| 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]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Organisation | Award | Work | Status | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Grammy Awards | Best Alternative Jazz Album | Love in Exile | Nominated | [9][10] |
| Best Global Music Performance | "Shadow Forces" | Nominated | [9][10] |
Year-end lists
edit| Publication | # | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Aquarium Drunkard | — | [11] |
| Beats Per Minute | 35 | [12] |
| BrooklynVegan (Jazz Albums) |
— | [13] |
| Consequence | 34 | [14] |
| Mojo | 16 | [15] |
| The New York Times (Jon Pareles) |
10 | [16] |
| Pitchfork | 25 | [17] |
| Slate | — | [18] |
| Treble | 49 | [19] |
| Uncut | 33 | [20] |
Track listing
editAll 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
edit- 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
edit- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ a b Brodsky, Rachel (February 23, 2023). "Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily – "To Remain / To Return"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Love in Exile by Arooj Aftab Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b Minsker, Evan (November 10, 2023). "Grammy Nominations 2024: See the Full List Here". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ^ a b "Here are the 2024 Grammy Award winners". NPR Music. February 5, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
- ^ "2023 Year in Review". Aquarium Drunkard. December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ Pickard, Joshua (December 12, 2023). "BPM's Top 50 Albums of 2023". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (December 15, 2023). "10 Great Jazz Albums from 2023". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
- ^ Noor, Sun (December 4, 2023). "The 50 Best Albums of 2023". Consequence. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Mojo's 75 Best Albums of 2023". Mojo. November 9, 2023.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (November 30, 2023). "Best Albums of 2023: SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, 100 gecs and More". The New York Times. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ Hussey, Allison (December 5, 2023). "The 50 Best Albums of 2023". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ Wilson, Carl (December 11, 2023). "The 12 Best Albums of 2023". Slate. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ Terich, Jeff (December 5, 2023). "The 50 Best Albums of 2023". Treble. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ "Uncut's 75 Best Albums of 2023". Uncut. November 7, 2023.