Rostam - Half-Light, review: ‘Incredibly rich and varied’

Four years since Vampire Weekend’s last album comes the debut solo release from departed member Rostam Batmanglij.

He’s been keeping busy working on music with Haim, Solange Knowles, Hamilton Leithauser and Frank Ocean in the meantime, but it’s clear how many ideas he’s been keeping for himself.

Half-Light is incredibly rich and varied, from the Christmassy choir of Sumer to the Bollywood strings of Wood and the relaxed reggae feel of Rudy.

While the strong melodic ear of his Vampire Weekend work is still present, Half-Light is much looser, with room for strange electronic smudges on Warning Intruders and Doctor Who-villain vocal effects on When.

It may be his first solo album but it sounds like the work of 10 men.