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Eiko Ishibashi

Eiko Ishibashi
石橋英子
Ishibashi in 2022
Background information
OriginMobara, Chiba, Japan
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter, producer[1]
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano, drums[1]
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Eiko Ishibashi (石橋英子, Ishibashi Eiko) 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

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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

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  • 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)
  • Kouen Kyoudai (公園兄弟) (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)
  • Pareidolia (with Jim O'Rourke) (2025, Drag City)[9]
  • Antigone (2025, Drag City)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Jurek, Thom. "Eiko Ishibashi | Biography & History". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  2. ^ Empire, Kitty (23 November 2013). "Eiko Ishibashi: Imitation of Life – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  3. ^ Hadfield, James (9 October 2016). "A hive of sonic activity stirs on Kafka's Ibiki release". The Japan Times. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  4. ^ Slattery, Marty (20 October 2014). "Eiko Ishibashi taps Jim O'Rourke for forthcoming Drag City album, "Car and Freezer"". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  5. ^ Lozano, Kevin (25 March 2016). "Masami Akita & Eiko Ishibashi: Kouen Kyoudai Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  6. ^ Weingarten, Christopher R. (28 December 2016). "Masami Akita and Eiko Ishibashi, 'Kouen Kyoudai 公園兄弟' | 20 Best Avant Albums of 2016". Rolling Stone.
  7. ^ Beta, Andy (25 March 2022). "Eiko Ishibashi and the melodies that carry 'Drive My Car'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  8. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (8 April 2024). "'Anger compels me forward': Drive My Car composer Eiko Ishibashi on evil, experimentation and exploding genre". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  9. ^ Strauss, Matthew (1 July 2025). "Eiko Ishibashi and Jim O'Rourke Announce New Album Pareidolia, Share Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
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