American Stories [Sumac Vinyl LP]

Rostam’s third album, American Stories, arrives May 15, his first new music in over five years. The Iranian- American artist and acclaimed producer returns with a record that explores his life across dual cultural worlds. The music weaves together elements of Americana and Persian traditions, blending finger- picked guitars, pedal steel, and strummed chords with microtonal Persian melodies. “That marriage of east and west felt like music that I needed to make for this album.” Interweaving his own experiences, Rostam's lyrics are a collection of stories and reflections, “The Weight” takes place on college campuses in America in the spring of 2025. In “Forgive is to Know,” Rostam processes real events and the act of songwriting itself. Rostam makes sense of the end of a relationship in “Hardy ft. Clairo” and contends with humanity’s uncertain future. The result is a record that feels deeply individual yet unmistakably American. “Ultimately I hope listeners find comfort in this record and I want to leave people with a feeling of optimism.”