EIKO ISHIBASHI - FOR MCCOY

Released: 07/04/23 (delayed from 31/03/23)

The musician and composer Eiko Ishibashi may not be a household name in the UK, but the Mobara-born artist is one of Japan's most revered avant-garde talents. The founder, with Tatsuhisa Yamamoto, of the group Kafka's Ibiki, Ishibashi has collaborated with the likes of Jim O’Rourke (he has produced her records, and indeed, features as a musician on For McCoy ) and in 2016 teamed up with Masami Akita (AKA Merzbow) to make the incredible album Kouen Kyoudai. Oh, and among her notable film scores, she composed the music for the award-winning 2021 film Drive My Car (an adaptation of the Haruki Murakami short story). All of which means that I was very excited for this record, which is, the press release says, "dedicated to the widely loved character of Jack McCoy, portrayed by Sam Waterston in Law & Order”. Which is hilarious, but also makes total sense, because Sam Waterston is awesome, and therefore deserves to have a concept album dedicated to one of his most beloved characters. Anyway, I love For McCoy, being as it is quintessential Ishibashi – all musique concrète techniques, ECM-inspired jazz, and dazzlingly imbricated synths, which go to make a sound-world so alluring and unique that you’ll want to climb inside of it. Hanabanashī.