Good morning.
Today we’re listening to Eiko Ishibashi, a Japanese pianist and composer based in Tokyo. She grew up in a household that often played film music, and in high school she studied piano and began composing original pieces.1 In 2021 her score for Drive My Car helped that film win Best International Film at the Oscars. The film is an adaptation of a Haruki Murakami story, and similar to Murakami’s writing, Ishibashi’s score gradually earns your attention and interest with subtle, deft artistic decisions. “Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi asked for the music to be like a landscape, mediating the relationship between characters and audience,” reported Composer Magazine. We’re also playing Ishibashi’s 2012 album, I’m Armed, a collection of searching solo piano pieces.
Drive My Car - Eiko Ishibashi (40m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal
I’m Armed - Eiko Ishibashi (50m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal
Have a really nice Thursday.
Very excited about the new record. I saw her perform in London a couple of years back and she was sensational
"Drive My Car" is stunning. Not just the music – the film too.