Kishi Bashi

Kishi Bashi is the stage name that singer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, Kaoru Ishibashi uses in his solo work, where he combines indie folk, pop, and chamber music. His main instrument is the violin, which he built his early work-around, plucking its strings, tapping on its body in a combination of loops and various electronic effects to achieve a dream-like expansive sound. He now works with a full band, still using some of the same techniques and retaining the wide screen cinematic feel of his music. His melodies are rich and memorable, and his arrangements are inventive and fairly sophisticated.  He has a sweet voice that occasionally slips into falsetto. His work in recent years has focused on the history of the Japanese internment camps in the '40s and its human impact.