Albums to watch

Changephobia

Rostam

Changephobia

Second solo album from the former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij

ADM rating[?]

7.3

Label
Matsor Projects
UK Release date
04/06/2021
US Release date
04/06/2021
  1. 8.3 |   A.V. Club

    While Half-Light feels more apt to be listened to under twinkling stars, Changephobia is a fitting record for sunny summer days, leaning into a stripped-down sound that combines pop with jazz
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  2. 8.0 |   Exclaim

    Changephobia might not necessarily win over skeptics, but it's the most coherent vision — lyrically and sonically — of Rostam as a solo artist so far
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  3. 8.0 |   Northern Transmissions

    As with the other projects that Rostam has been a part of over time, Changephobia feels fresh, spontaneous and is filled with a dizzying amount of layers, musically and lyrically
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  4. 8.0 |   Mojo

    Sustaining a dreamworld mood throughout, Changephobia is a quiet beauty. Print edition only

  5. 8.0 |   All Music

    Rostam's music didn't need much altering, but on Changephobia, it's more artful and heartfelt than ever
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  6. 8.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Four years after his solo debut, Rostam has embraced change in his life, and discovered that at its best, it can help you grow and discover more of who you are. Change doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. In this case, it’s a very, very good thing
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  7. 7.5 |   Beats Per Minute

    Every song on Changephobia sounds like it has an inch-thick layer of dust on it, but if you take a finger and smear that off, there’s a beautiful ice-cream paint-job below
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  8. 7.2 |   Pitchfork

    The producer and songwriter’s second solo album is a romantic exploration of uncertainty, a rush of momentum softened by his trademark sounds
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  9. 7.0 |   Uncut

    Against hard-edged rhythms – Danielle Haim’s clattering drumming enlivens “These Kids We Knew” – and Solomon’s wordless reveries, Rostam sings in a creamy tenor tailormade for sharing the intimate feelings of his lyrics. Print edition only

  10. 7.0 |   Slant Magazine

    While the musician has refined and reduced the vast variety of sounds and distortion of his debut, the warmth of his vision remains
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  11. 7.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    No two of Changephobia’s songs sound alike. Yet they are tied together by a melodic thread that inspires a change of pace that encourages us to pause and take stock of our lives and beliefs and relationships
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  12. 7.0 |   PopMatters

    An album that's as concise as it is provoking and as pleasant as it is interesting
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  13. 6.8 |   Paste Magazine

    The production wizard’s second album is his most compact work yet, which is alternately a boon and a crutch
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  14. 6.5 |   Spectrum Culture

    Is Changephobia meant to be changephobic? Even if it is, it would have been more satisfying if that self-awareness translated to an album more willing to not play it safe
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  15. 6.0 |   NME

    The producer has already enjoyed a storied career – one that allows him to rope in the likes of Haim for his music videos – and here takes a left turn
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