Classically trained violinist Kaoru Ishibashi — better known by his performing moniker, Kishi Bashi — sharpened his Pop chops by lending his talents to the music of such artists as Regina Spektor, of Montreal and Sondre Lerche. He’s also a founding member of Electro Pop outfit Jupiter One, but in recent years he’s stepped out as a solo artist (backed by a full band).
It’s no surprise that Kishi Bashi’s first two records —2012’s 151a and 2014’s Lighght — featured plenty of violin; less expected was their expansive Pop soundscapes, which ranged from otherworldly ethereal to textured foot-stompers that brought to mind Animal Collective at their most accessible.
Kishi Bashi’s most recent album, last year’s Sonderlust, was borne in the midst of a tough personal period for the Virginia native — he and his wife of 13 years went through a separation.
“This album is straight from my soul,” Ishibashi says in the press notes that accompanied the release of the album. “I questioned everything about what it means to love and desire. The difference between loving someone and being in love.”
The resulting record is a bit of a surprise: Sonderlust is as buoyant and beat-driven as anything Kishi Bashi has conjured. Album opener “m’lover” kicks things off in dynamic fashion, fusing violin and keyboards with booming drums and layered vocals anchored by Ishibashi’s modest, high-pitched delivery. “Hey Big Star” borders on straight-up Disco, its insistent beats and surging keyboards yielding a sugar high that wouldn’t have been out of place on Arcade Fire’s Reflektor. “Ode to My Next Life” opens with strings and cooing vocals before launching into the stratosphere via swirling electronics — think Daft Punk by way of Andrew Bird.
The Caribbean-flavored closer “Honeybody” is a curious concoction, dropping lyrics that name-check Parcheesi and Coca-Cola while at the same time suggesting the need to satiate carnal desires. It’s the capper to a collection of songs that finds Kishi Bashi moving into adventurous new realms.
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This article appears in Apr 12-19, 2017.
