“Raat Ki Rani” - Arooj Aftab (Khruangbin Remix)

Arooj Aftab’s sultry, seductive “Raat Ki Rani” was one of my favorite songs from 2024. As I wrote in my review, “You might not understand Aftab’s Urdu lyrics, but the song’s sense of longing and desire is undeniable and universal.” And as longtime readers will know, I’ve been a fan of Khruangbin’s trippy psych-funk for years now.

Thus, how could I not be interested in a Khruangbin remix of “Raat Ki Rani”? (Or not so much a remix as a reworking, as it turns out. Aftab actually went into the studio with Khruangbin to record new vocals for the song.)

On paper, it certainly seems like a match made in heaven, and when you hear it, that’s precisely what it is. Aftab’s rich voice pairs perfectly with Khruangbin’s reverbed guitar and fluid bass, not to mention a beat that sounds like it was channeled directly from Enigma’s 1990 debut album. (All that’s missing is some Gregorian chant.) In other words, it’s all vibes and I dig it.