All the models Himalayan, they got higher heels

Continuing my trip up The Guardian's Top 50 Albums of 2021

#20 : Vulture Prince - Arooj Aftab

The year’s biggest musical revelation came from Pakistani composer Arooj Aftab, who set traditional Urdu ghazals (and an adaptation of a poem by Rumi) amid harp and strings that rippled and ran as clear as a fresh stream. In her rich, meditative vocals, Aftab weighed the beauty of a single phrase and tenaciously addressed existential disappointments; her small ensemble shapeshifted between intricate filigrees and paring back to make a virtue of space. Made in response to the death of her younger brother, and released into an unprecedented global experience of grief, Vulture Prince was a refuge for solace and contemplation.

Never heard of album or artist and I also have to confess that my knowledge of Urdu ghazals isn't quite as strong as it could be, so my expectations are somewhat minimal - although I have to admit they're erring on the side of "I'm not going to like this, am I?".  But - how wrong I was!  This is a lovely minimal work with (as The Guardian says) rich, meditative vocals - I just hope I remember it exists such that I revisit it.

Wikipedia doesn't have anything on the album but tells me that she's based in Brooklyn and her music lives under the neo-Sufi genre.  Which of course I've never heard of.  "Customers also listened to" Cassandra Jenkins (and yes, there are distinct similarities), Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Anna B Savage (nope, never heard of them but they've got great names).  I really liked this though - it's got a lovely sound to it.

#19 : We're All Alone In This Together - Dave

“It’s like flying first class on a crashing plane,” Dave says of his fame and wealth at the outset of his second album. Few rappers have sounded so ill at ease with critical and commercial success as him – even when firing off bars about gorgeous women, there’s a wary, jaded tone to his voice. And in many ways, nothing has changed: he remains angry at the government over immigration and social mobility, and relationships certainly haven’t got easier. “Love’s a film and I’m just flicking through the parts I’m in.” That sense of a man looking down at his own life is Dave’s tragedy, and what makes his tracks such, well, psychodramas.

I know and quite like Psychodrama and I wasn't expecting this to veer too far off the path that album trod.  And it doesn't really, although I don't think there's so much obvious storytelling on this - it's more a stream of consciousness album where he says what he thinks about the current situation (or whatever issue pops into his head).  "Three Rivers" jumped out - a very similar style to "Black" from Psychodrama and a similarly strong message.  There's some serious bass on the album too, I can tell you - if you liked his debut, then I think you'll probably like this one as one.

Wikipedia has a bit on the album but it mostly just lists all the guest artists involved and how successful the album was - straight in at #1 in the UK with the biggest first week sales of the year.  So I probably should have been more aware of it than I was - stuff seems to slip past me these days.

"Customers also listened to" a few people I've heard of (AJ Tracey, Headie One) and considerably more that I haven't.  It's not a genre I know loads about, but I do like Dave - he seems like an intelligent lad that has his head screwed on.  But I didn't like this as much as I liked Psychodrama.

#22/21 - Two interesting albums you might well like
#18/17 - Two slightly odd albums