Kishi Bashi (K. Ishibashi) made a name for himself on his first two albums with spirited, kaleidoscopic indie rock arrangements based on manipulated violin loops, and he continued to evolve on 2016’s Sonderlust – a more refined effort produced by Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor. With his fourth album, the self-produced Omoiyari, Bashi tweaks his sound again, landing on lush, orchestral folk befitting the titular concept that thinking about others promotes compassion. The album was a result of Bashi’s involvement with the documentary “Omoiyari: A Songfilm,” which is a reaction to anti-immigrant political rhetoric and the internment of over 100,000 Japanese-American citizens during WWII. Despite the serious nature of the film, Bashi’s songs are both poignant and playful. Notable tracks include: the wistful opener, “Penny Rabbit and Summer Bear”; the orchestral “Summer of ’42″’ the folk/chamber/prog pop mash-up “Marigolds”; the quasi-instrumental “A Meal for Leaves”; and the piano-banjo rag closer “Annie, Heart Thief of the Sea.” Omoiyari is a moving album from a very talented musician – definitely worth a listen especially if you’re unfamiliar with Kishi Bashi. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Andrew Bird, Decemberists, Lord Huron, of Montreal, Ben Sollee