In the band Vampire Weekend, Rostam Batmanglij wore the hats of guitarist, keyboard player, singer, lyricist, composer, and producer. He had a natural inclination toward warm synth tones, crisp drums, and string-laden musical passages—a lush production style that has continued in his work with a variety of artists, including Carly Rae Jepsen, Frank Ocean, and Haim. In 2016, Batmanglij left Vampire Weekend, and eighteen months later he released a solo album, Half-Light. 

I spoke with Rostam by phone to discuss the album’s single, “Gwan,” which has a similar aesthetic to that of his previous work but is somehow more romantic and ultimately transporting than anything else he’s recorded. Thoughtful and affable, Rostam illuminated the long, unexpected creation of the track, even when he didn’t directly address my questions.