Every now and then, an artist comes along that despite your best efforts, is simply impossible to define.
Enter Kishi Bashi, classically trained violinist and renowned touring member for Regina Spektor and Of Montreal. 151a is his debut LP as a solo artist, and his extensive influences and wide reaching technical proficiency are on full show as he joyously bounces through twelve radiant pop tracks.
Self-recorded and produced, 151a feels like a looking glass into Bashi’s musical mind as he takes the listener on a journey through a rousing soundscape. The primary emotion felt here is joy, and this is no more apparent than on the record’s opener ‘Pathos, Pathos’. A swell of violins and synth build before unleashing a bouncing bass line and weaving strings that feel like pure bliss.
‘It All Began With A Burst’ sustains this thrill with handclaps, squeals of excitement and an ecstatic vocal melody. Intricately layered and concisely delivered, this track defines Bashi’s pop sensibilities while retaining the depth and intricacies of his approach.
While not all of 151a’s numbers are as thrilling and up-tempo as these, there is an inescapable optimism, even within the album’s moodier moments. The LP’s darkest turn comes with the electronic dissonance of ‘Beat The Bright Out Of Me’, and even then the unsettling synth melts into a harmonious choir before the track’s close.
Bashi’s violin virtuosity foregrounds the entire album, as strings are densely layered, carrying the melody, rhythm and harmonies in various point of the album. The multi-instrumentalist doesn’t rely on this however, instead flaunting the breadth of his musical skill.
A musician so obviously overjoyed in his craft as Kishi Bashi is hard to resist, his joy is infectious, and the tunes found on his debut are catchy enough for immediate appeal, but with enough depth to sink your teeth into the layered sonic qualities. An exciting debut from a talented new artist.
