“The concept behind the album, in essence, is about how we develop multidimensional selves, a series of personas if you will, that enable us to navigate in a multidimensional universe and how we learn to move between them very fluidly,” explains internationally beloved singer-songwriter/producer Azam Ali about her new album Phantoms (Terrestrial Lane Productions; release date September 13, 2019). “Over time, these personas become like ghosts that live within us… like phantoms.”
Like the concept behind the album, Azam herself embodies this amalgamate nature. A singer, songwriter, producer, and sound sculptor, this transcontinental sonic architect crafts darkly alluring songs built around electronic textures and rhythms. Recalling the majestic tapestries of 90s-era 4AD Records (Dead Can Dance, This Mortal Coil, Cocteau Twins) but with modern flourishes woven into its threads, Azam weaves electronic songs that are timeless in nature but retro-futuristic in construction. From the pulsating opening track and first single “Hope”, dashes of electronic color (a la Massive Attack and Portishead) envelop Azam’s velvety vocals. “‘Hope’ is a poignant reflection on the grim social/political state in the world in which we are witnessing a global resurgence of nationalism and extremism,” she explains. “In essence, it is a song about the loss of hope.”
photo credit: Borna Jafari
