Eiko Ishibashi - Torn Page (2021)

'Torn Page' is a glacial 20-min slab of floatation tank ambience from enduring Japanese shapeshifter Eiko Ishibashi. Completely lifted material that's like Grouper x Stars of the Lid x Celer >> ie. xtra lovely.

It's frankly hard to keep track of Ishibashi - in the last few years the prolific singer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer has released a slew of records and each one sounds completely different. "Torn Page" finds her at her most peaceful and meditative, working wordless vocals into dense harmonic synth clouds and almost orchestral drones.

The first half of the composition sounds like Grouper filtered through Stars of the Lid's pedal chain, but as the haze clears, the sounds degrade into resonant tones to levitational new sounds. Eventually, the Basinski-esque drones nudge against atonal bursts of fractured jazz - it's a peculiar blend that allows the composition to stop short of being too sugary sweet. So good.