Kashiwa Daisuke - 88

Like his Japanese contemporary, World's End Girlfriend, Kashiwa Daisuke has a penchant for the maddeningly bizarre, as well as the breathtakingly beautiful. However, unlike WEG, Daisuke utilizes a more straightforward type of neo-classical/post-rock. Sure there's some glitchy electronica thrown in for good measure, but typically that takes a back seat to the swelling strings and jazzy keyboards.

Daisuke's newewst effort, 88 will mostly utilize, you guessed it, the 88 keys of a piano. It's said to be much more stripped down, which for fans is a relief, as 2009's 5. bDec was seen as an inconsistent mess of electronics and misguided ideas. 88 looks to be a complete 180 in this respect, being more melodic and minimal. Fans have been waiting patiently (this one in particular)for a spiritual successor to his 2007 masterpiece, and the way things are looking, 88seems to show promise of that. Only time will tell if it will live up to his instant classic, Program Music I,but thankfully, that time will becoming sooner rather than later, as 88 drops July 29th.

Check out his newest song here:
Kashiwa Daisuke - Coto