Rostam Batmanglij, the 42-year-old superproducer known for his work with Frank Ocean, Charli XCX, and Carly Rae Jepsen, and a former member of Vampire Weekend, has released his third solo album, American Stories. The album, which he describes as his best to date, explores his complex relationship with American identity, blending Americana with Persian musical influences.
A Fusion of Cultures
The first song Batmanglij ever learned on guitar was Chuck Berry's 'Johnny B. Goode', a quintessentially American rock 'n' roll anthem. 'It doesn't get more American than that,' he says with a smile. Born to Iranian parents, with a brother born in France, Batmanglij himself was carried in his mother's womb when she first came to America. 'My position is different. So what is my relationship to the American flag? What is my relationship to American citizenship?' he asks.
These questions are central to American Stories, whose lush, linen-like pop songs split the difference between Astral Weeks and Andy Shauf. The album features pedal steel alongside the lute-like Turkish saz played by Amir Yaghmai of the Voidz, creating a sound that is both American and Middle Eastern. 'A good challenge,' Batmanglij says of unifying these traditions.
Political Undercurrents
The 2025 election of Zohran Mamdani as New York mayor, a Muslim Indian democratic socialist, coincided with Batmanglij's focus for the album. Mamdani, born in Uganda and unapologetically left-wing, has inspired significant opposition from the right. 'Zohran's election is an expansion of what is part of American leadership. That was meaningful to me,' Batmanglij explains. He posted emphatically in support of Mamdani's campaign.
While the album was written before the US and Israel's war with Iran, some songs obliquely reference the bombardment of Gaza. On 'Come Apart', Batmanglij sings: 'When they burned olive trees / They set fire to the leaves / But the roots are too strong / To let go of where they're from.' On 'The Weight', he seems to address student protesters, affirming they have 'courage on your side'. Batmanglij, wearing an Artists4Ceasefire badge, says the songs 'are a reflection of the last handful of years' but prefers listeners to discover meanings themselves.
Generational Reflections
Batmanglij, who has worked extensively with Gen Z artists like Clairo and Declan McKenna, believes 'younger people have more clarity about what's going on in the world.' He adds, 'A lot of people in my generation and older have, I think, deluded themselves.'
Since leaving Vampire Weekend over a decade ago to focus on production and solo work, Batmanglij has enjoyed the freedom to pursue unconventional ideas. 'It could be a bad idea. But I'll believe in it and want to keep believing in it,' he says. One such idea was the track 'Hardy', featuring Clairo, whose debut album he produced. He made the beat in 2012 but spent years writing lyrics before recording vocals. The song is about trying to write a song—a meta concept that, he admits, is 'treacherous terrain' but ultimately works.
Family Reactions
When asked how his parents feel about an album partially inspired by their migration to America, Batmanglij laughs. 'My mum was like, “Why don't you sing in Persian?” She'll never be happy!'
American Stories is released on 15 May on Matsor Projects.
