Introducing Kishi Bashi

Name: Kishi Bashi
From: Brooklyn, New York
Story: Of Montreal associate fiddles up dayglo fantasias
Sound: Violin, vox, handclaps, loop-pedal, pop!

For all those going to watch our old pals Of Montreal touring behind their latest LP, Paralytic Stalks, there'll be a welcome treat for those who get their super-early to see the first opener. That comes in the form of Kishi Bashi, the impressive one-man-band project for touring OM multi-instrumentalist Kaoru Ishibashi.

Ishibashi has become a fully-fledged member of Of Montreal, as well as spending recent stints playing violin in the live band for Regina Spektor and Sondre Lerche. But the Seattle-born, New York-based fiddler has a long history in classic performance and film soundtracks, and has only recently minted Kishi Bashi as his chief project.

Though 36, the first Kishi Bashi LP, 151a, effectively marks Ishibashi's debut. Building songs from loop-pedal layers of violin, keyboard, and voice, there's audible influence from some big indie figures: Andrew Bird, obviously; Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes, just as obviously; and The Shins' James Mercer, vocally. But Ishibashi feels like a peer to those heavy-hitters, with his album's peaks hitting some glorious oddball-pop-song heights.

"Bright Whites" is the clear standout: a strummy, giddy, sunshining anthem blessed with bountiful energy, casual beauty, and a mix between silliness and profundity. It sounds not like the minor work of some irrelevant side-project, but a jam presaging at least some kinda 2012 breakout.

• Listen: Kishi Bashi, "I'll See You There"
• Listen: Kishi Bashi, "It All Began with a Burst"
• Listen: Kishi Bashi, "Bright Whites"
• Visit: Kishi Bashi website

One Day:
March 20: Los Angeles, CA - The WIltern
March 21: San Francisco, CA - Slim's
March 22: San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
March 23: Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
March 24: Seattle, WA - The Showbox
March 27: Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
March 28: Chicago, IL - The Metro
March 29: Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
March 31: New York, NY - Webster Hall
April 1: Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
April 2: Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
April 3: Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
April 4: Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
April 5: Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
April 6: Chatanooga, TN - Track 29
April 7: Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
April 17: Oslo, Norway - Rockefeller
April 18: Aarhus, Denmark - Train
April 22: Manchester, England - The Ritz
April 26: Brighton, England - Concorde 2
April 28: Nantes, France - Stereolux
April 30: Madrid, Spain - Joy Eslava
May 9: Istanbul, Turkey - Babylon