Eiko Ishibashi Explained

Eiko Ishibashi
Native Name:	石橋英子
Native Name Lang:	jpn
Origin:	Mobara, Chiba, Japan
Occupation:	Musician, singer-songwriter, producer
Instrument:	Vocals, piano, drums
Associated Acts:	Panicsmile, Mong Hang, Jim O'Rourke, Kafka's Ibiki

is a Japanese singer-songwriter and musician.^[1]

She has frequently worked with Jim O'Rourke, with O'Rourke producing several of her albums and Ishibashi playing on his album Simple Songs.^[2] Together with Tatsuhisa Yamamoto they formed the band Kafka's Ibiki.^[1] ^[3] ^[4]

In 2016, she released the album Kouen Kyoudai, a collaboration with the Japanese noise musician Masami Akita (better known as Merzbow).^[5] ^[6] She composed the music for the 2019 anime Blade of the Immortal. She has collaborated with director Ryusuke Hamaguchi on two projects: the 2021 film Drive My Car, and the 2023 film Evil Does Not Exist.

Personal life

She is currently in a relationship with American musician Jim O'Rourke.^[7] The two met when Ishibashi played flute on a Burt Bacharach covers album O'Rourke was producing. They live and work closely together, but "keep a professional distance, sending each other data files to work on rather than jamming."^[8]

Discography

Works for Everything (2006 Rhythm Tracks)
Lola and Soda (with Achico) (2007 Rhythm Tracks)
Slip Beneath the Distant Tree (with Tatsuya Yoshida) (2007 Rhythm Tracks)
Summer Dress (with Achico) (2008 Rhythm Tracks)
Drifting Devil (2008 Rhythm Tracks)
Carapace (2011 Felicity)
Imitation of Life (2012 Felicity / Drag City)
I'm Armed (2012 felicity)
Car and Freezer (2014 Felicity / Drag City)
Compressed Happiness (with K2) (2014 Phage Tapes)
(with Masami Akita) (2016 Editions Mego)
Ichida (with Darin Gray) (2018 Black Truffle)
The Dream My Bones Dream (2018 Drag City)
For McCoy (2021 Black Truffle)

Notes and References

Web site: Jurek. Thom. Eiko Ishibashi | Biography & History. Allmusic. 30 April 2018.
Web site: Empire. Kitty. Eiko Ishibashi: Imitation of Life – review. 23 November 2013. The Guardian. 30 April 2018.
Web site: Hadfield. James. A hive of sonic activity stirs on Kafka's Ibiki release. 9 October 2016. The Japan Times. 30 April 2018.
Web site: Slattery. Marty. Eiko Ishibashi taps Jim O'Rourke for forthcoming Drag City album, "Car and Freezer". 20 October 2014. Tiny Mix Tapes. 30 April 2018.
Web site: Lozano. Kevin. Masami Akita & Eiko Ishibashi: Kouen Kyoudai Album Review. 25 March 2016. Pitchfork. 30 April 2018.
Weingarten. Christopher R.. Masami Akita and Eiko Ishibashi, 'Kouen Kyoudai 公園兄弟' | 20 Best Avant Albums of 2016. 28 December 2016. Rolling Stone.
News: Beta . Andy . Eiko Ishibashi and the melodies that carry 'Drive My Car' . 25 March 2022 . . 14 January 2023.
News: Beaumont-Thomas . Ben . 2024-04-08 . ‘Anger compels me forward’: Drive My Car composer Eiko Ishibashi on evil, experimentation and exploding genre . 2024-07-07 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.