It’s fun. It’s light. It’s a bit fruity. It’s not Fresca. It’s Kishi Bashi’s Bright Whites. The mysterious artist (perhaps not mysterious to others more adept at Googling up-and-coming artists than I) has burst upon the scene and is quickly proving to be a show-stopper. He is currently touring a wide range of US cities – so check him out before he passes through (I speak regretfully – as he came through DC, opening up for Sondre Lerche, and I totally missed my chance).
Although all his songs are enjoyable, my favorite, and one of “K’s” most popular tracks, is Bright Whites. The four-minute tune offers listeners an addictive hybrid sound spanning Native-American-like-yelps, campfire-tune-hand-clapping, and electro-tech-twist. The total product is somewhere between Sondre Lerche and Of Montreal – both bands with whom the artist has collaborated with.
Kishi Bashi dives into Bright Whites with an energetic chorus of yips, followed by his smooth voice singing… something? I’m going to leave the lyrics up to you – both the artist’s bio and lingo escapes me even after listening to the song about a dozen times consecutively (yes, it’s that good).
The specifics I caught?
“you and me at the edge of the world…”
“and if you smile at me… I could fly by land or sea…”
The sense I get? In general? You’ve got a guy. A girl. Potential. A journey. Y’know, the tried and true themes of everyone’s dreams, just put to a snazzier soundtrack than you might be able to generate on your own. My suggestion? Give it a listen (or several). You won’t regret it. And if you figure out who this guy is, let me know. The more I can get of him the better.
