Eiko Ishibashi - Carapace (2011)

Eiko Ishibashi’s 3rd album “carapace” has been completed. Her songwriting skills are sharper than ever, creating pop music so beautiful to the point it could even be considered classical ballet music. This album is produced by Jim O’Rourke who is a recent collaborator and fellow musician who acknowledged her talent. Not only did he produce the album, he is also in the recording and mixing process, and performs in the album as well. An album created by two multi-instrumentalists; Eiko Ishibashi who plays a variety of instruments as a session musician, and Jim O’Rourke who played all the instruments on his latest album “The Visitor”. Other musicians include young and rising drummer Tatsuhisa Yamamoto, and electric violinist Yuji Katsui who is a member of the Japanese instrumental rock band ROVO along with Seiichi Yamamoto.

The fine-detailed sound production using overdubs has made the music very raw and soft, yet strong and brilliant. The delicate yet heavy arrangements define the beautiful melody and voice. And for every song, images pour through the mind like a movie. Not often does on come across music this inspiring. Easily crossing the boundaries of musical genres and countries, this album is surely to be loved for years to come. This is a true masterpiece.