In recent years, Eiko Ishibashi has been widely heralded for composing the scores to Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s films Drive My Car and Evil Does Not Exist. In December, she released an ambient live album with longtime collaborator Jim O’Rourke and Tatsuhisa Yamamoto under the band name Kafka’s Ibiki. Now, with new album Antigone, she’s getting back to her singer-songwriter side.

Due out in March, Antigone is Ishibashi’s first proper album since 2018’s The Dream My Bones Dream. Her band for the album includes O’Rourke on Bass VI, synths, etc. as well as Yamamoto on drums, bassist Marty Holoubek, Norwegian accordionist Kalle Moberg, ermhoi on backing vocals, and Joe Talia on percussion. Even though Antigone is a song-based release and not a film score, lead single “Coma,” out today, still has some cinematic flair to it. It’s a woozy midtempo track that feels like a Weather Station record in the process of melting. Listen below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “October”
02 “Coma”
03 “Trial”
04 “Nothing As”
05 “Mona Lisa”
06 “Continuous Contiguous”
07 “The Model”
08 “Antigone”

TOUR DATES:
03/29 – Knoxville, TN @ Big Ears Festival (GIFT: A Live Score by Eiko Ishibashi X Film by Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
03/30 – Queens, NY @ Knockdown Center (Outline)

Antigone is out 3/28 on Drag City. Pre-order it here.