Kishi Bashi‘s new album, Kantos, is a thought-provoking examination of philosophy, identity, and the human condition. Where his previous records offered specific historical and social commentary, Kantos is more meditative and philosophical. The opener, “Violin Akai“, is dynamic, emblematic of Kishi Bashi’s virtuosity. Yet the minimalist lyrics highlight the artist’s shift from external to internal exploration: “I have Feelings that I think I have F-f-f-feelings that I think I have Feelings.” “Violin Akai” evokes urgency, emotion, and introspection – themes evident throughout Kantos.
Musically, the LP is an eclectic blend of genres, where Kishi Bashi effortlessly integrates 1980s pop, funk, jazz, and even rock opera. “Chiba Funk” is an homage to classic funk through a Japanese lens. Chiba Prefecture is a coastal area close to Tokyo, grounding funk in a uniquely Japanese context. “Analógico Brasil” blends samba, bossa nova, and jazz elements. Other tracks like “Lilliputian Chop” and “Tokyo Love Story (Love Story Wa Totsuzen Ni)” push boundaries with saxophone riffs and electric guitars. Throughout Kantos, Kishi Bashi showcases his remarkable ability to transcend genre conventions.
“Tokyo Love Story (Love Story Wa Totsuzen Ni)“, a cover of the theme song to the Japanese mini-series, specifically reflects city pop influences. City pop, a genre that emerged in Japan in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is known for its smooth blend of pop, jazz, funk, and disco. The genre often invokes images of Tokyo’s urban life and economic boom. Here, Kishi Bashi reaffirms the characteristic vibrancy he cultivated across his oeuvre. Yet “Tokyo Love Story (Love Story Wa Totsuzen Ni)” reveals an optimism that is a stark duality to the cerebral topics Kishi Bashi delivers elsewhere on the album.
Kishi Bashi’s work captures an existential tension between joy and despair, reflecting Immanuel Kant’s examination of human morality and the limitations of knowledge. For instance, the song “Late Night Comic” centers on the emotional isolation and disconnect experienced by performers who cultivate joy while silently grappling with despair. The track portrays a self-criticizing comic who desires a more authentic self. As the comic pledges to abandon performance and embrace “just the truth for us, I swear”, they signal a moral awakening. In this way, Kishi Bashi’s music reflects the complexities of the human experience and invites listeners to engage with a Kantian exploration of morality and self-awareness.
Mythology is another defining theme in Kantos. In tracks like “Icarus IV”, Kishi Bashi sings about the desire to “fly a little higher, a little lighter”, suggesting a longing to break free from earthly constraints. The Icarus myth is a metaphor for the tendency to seek more despite the risks. The musical composition—marked by ethereal violin lines and vocals—conveys the tension between desire and limitation, aligning the mythos with Kant. Likewise, “Escape from Knossos” draws upon the story of Daedalus and Icarus, who sought to escape from the labyrinth of Knossos. The track explores ambition, freedom, and the desire to transcend limitations. Musically, it combines soaring melodies with moments of tension, mirroring the perilous balance between aspiration and downfall that defines Icarus’ narrative.
Yet Kantos feels cluttered with its deep thematic exploration underlined by ambitious compositions. The frequent shifts between genres, especially within a single track, lack cohesion, leaving the album disjointed and slightly chaotic. The thematic complexity further compounds this sense of clutter. Perhaps Kishi Bashi took the record’s thematic focus too literally here, as the apparent overabundance informs the capriciousness. But like Icarus, Kishi Bashi embraces the risk, striving toward artistic heights even at the expense of cohesion. In that risk, Kantos is not just an album but a meditation on joy, existence, and artistic expression while addressing profound existential questions.