Arooj Aftab music review: Maximalist drama
A tour closing victory lap for the eclectic artist as she heads towards a new creative phase
Did Arooj Aftab compile the playlist preceding her show with the London Contemporary Orchestra? Who knows, but its collage of Americana, Middle Eastern trad and electronica felt like a declaration of influences that have made her almost impossible to define. That same cultural porousness has made her music endlessly malleable. While plenty of songwriters buckle under the weight of an orchestra re-envisioning their work, Aftab’s writing embodies an inherent drama that lends itself well to the reworkings of conductor Robert Ames.
Gargantuan swells and nods to Broadway’s heyday fling songs from Night Reign and Vulture Prince in unexpected, regularly delightful directions, as though placing them in the blazing sun for the first time. Maximalist, yes, but never garish. There’s a sense that a fruitful partnership has been forged between Aftab and the orchestra (who perform alongside regulars from her touring band), yet her Urdu-language vocals remain at the centre of the performance, billowing over the orchestration with a power both dominant and giving.
This was the final performance of Aftab and the London Contemporary Orchestra, and in many ways could be viewed as a victory lap for the Grammy-winning Night Reign. A collaborative album with Bonobo is in the works, and so too is a new chapter in Aftab’s creative life. As she took a shot of whisky at the end of her performance (then a second with a ‘why not?’ shrug) there was a sense that a knot was being tied. Despite the crepuscular slink of her writing, celebration was in the air, one that was well deserved.
Arooj Aftab reviewed at Usher Hall; picture: Ian Georgeson.