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The man behind the moniker of Kishi Bashi made his way into the indie world long before he started making is own tunes. He started off as a backing member to big names you’ll be familiar with, such as Of Montreal and Regina Spektor, which he supplied his violin skills to in the past. Now he has embarked out on his own to give you orchestral electro pop often marked by looping. Lighght is his second full-length effort, packed with different levels of detail to have you intrigued all the way through.
After a bit of flittering violin builds on the intro track, Kishi Bashi launches right into “Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It!” that opens with more sweeping violin and plucking of the strings. He gives you a taste of the chorus, with its rowdy percussion and filled up with acoustic guitar strumming and epic and echoed lead vocals that display the range possible. It’s a party of a tune, giving you a chance to start the album in a dance-worthy fashion, but the song is not all just fun and games, the band breaks it down into a beautiful string bridge before they bring it all home for one final triumphantly catchy chorus. This folk-inspired pop tune turns into electro pop full on dance number on the “The Ballad of Mr. Steak,” which carries on the signature layered violin you’ve already been introduced to, but is also accompanied with drum machine beats and synthesizers. While the lyrics describe a pair of “star-crossed lovers,” one of which is a “grade A” steak. Silly, but also altogether catchy and booty-shaking.
A real treat that comes later on in the album is “Q&A,” which is a cute folksy number in which the delicacy of the vocals becomes apparent as you enjoy Kishi Bashi’s softer side. While the song is gentle and filled with some lyrics that would make anyone swoon, it is far from devoid of detailed craftsmanship, as the layering style begins simply and builds upon itself in an effortless way. The more you listen, the more you understand that even a song that sounds as easy as this one has many different layers and textures that go beyond just a man and a guitar, or violin.
Some may criticize Kishi Bashi for not being overwhelmingly serious and too youthful in his sound, but I think that is precisely what makes this record worth listening to. The folk and electronic elements seem to intermingle in light, airy sounds that are overall very palatable and as beautiful as they are fun. Sure, not every track is a perfect blend of serious and fun, but for the most part there’s a good bunch of songs for you to enjoy on Lighght.
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