Kishi Bashi has been on an exploration of Japanese internment during WWII, visiting Montana and Wyoming and speaking to incarcerees for his “song film” and album Omoiyari. These conversations paved the way for his upcoming Emigrant EP: a snapshot of 2020 shaped by the harsh climate of the American West and a celebration of resilience, compassion, and hope. Containing rearranged, recorded songs, the EP meditates on the pandemic, the environmental impacts of conflict, and more. Kishi Bashi’s music is a powerful reflection of his experience, blending roots music and violin fiddling. We all have the same desires and needs,” he shares. “To protect our loved ones and also to celebrate the everyday.