After Dark by Layan Jishi is a mesmerising and haunting album. It showcases Jishi’s evocative vocals, eclectic writing and striking production skills. The entire album has this radiating sense of loss and confusion that enamours you and pushes you to listen to the next track. 

Moment by Layan Jishi

The album begins with Moment with its moody atmospheric intro. This sets the tone for the rest of the album. Jishi’s vocals are raw and emotive, conveying a sense of vulnerability. This is paired with introspection that is palpable throughout this number. He speaks of reckless love that blooms after a heartbreak. He gets into this situationship hoping that it won’t be like the last relationship. The soundscape in this track is truly admirable where he plays with suspense right from the start when we hear a futuristic and moody synth beat.

Fall Apart

Fall Apart is next on the album. The writing in the song doubles down on why the album is titled After Dark. it speaks of how you overthink relationships and sometimes even come to realise that you might be running into this a little too fast. He goes on to speak of how he might be losing sight of himself in the process. Each song has different attributes of urgency to it. This one feels like the urgency to find individuality.

Running After Dark

Running After Dark is a number that has a quality that sets it apart from the rest of the tracks in the album. It almost moves from the inside to the outside, oscillating between thought and action.

What is interesting is that the waters get a little murky on this track. Up until now, we assumed he was referred to a partner. But in this track, we don’t know when he refers to his partner and when he refers to his thoughts. This is such an interesting play with perspective and it is supported by stunning and clean production work from Layan Jishi.

A film that plays with perspective really well is Reminiscence by Lisa Joy. The film is set in a future where everything seems bleak. The catch is, you can revisit the past by momentarily reliving it. Hugh Jackman is on a journey to figure out what happened to his partner who suddenly disappears one day. The futuristic beat structure of the songs in After Dark would make it an amazing fit in the soundtrack of the film. It would elevate each moment of mystery and pain.

Layan Jishi does a great job at making the listeners really earn their crescendo. Each song has incredible progression where the instrumentation gradually builds, with the synth’s looming quality and sparse percussion. This creates a textured experience for the listeners. The album is a modern-day ballad of love and loss of perspective and identity.