Fuubutsushi   - Meridians (2024) Hi-Res

In the thick of the early Covid era (mid-2020), Matthew Sage had an idea for a record. Taking advantage of the imposed isolation, the multifaceted Colorado-based musician and artist used the opportunity to reach out to folks he’d long admired to collaborate on a project from afar. Violinist Chris Jusell, guitarist Chaz Prymek, and saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi joined Sage on keys/various instruments to establish a band – Fuubutsushi (風物詩) – and they immediately recorded a tetralogy of albums titled Shiki (2020-2021). The quartet seamlessly braids together elements of ambient sensibility, jazz fusion, experimental music and improvisation, and American folk; unshy of accruing seemingly disparate elements to their musical vocabulary, and magically capable of remaining in sync despite physical separation.

Fuubutsushi is finally back with the long-awaited Meridians (June 27, Cached.Media), their first full-length project since 2021. Slowly unfurling its petals, the intro track, “Blue Rose,” begins with simple but pristine ascending triads on glockenspiel. There’s a soft rustling: an unintelligible field recording murmurs while Jusell stacks violin drones and Prymek delicately places his guitar strums. Shiroishi’s saxophone playing brings out the real yearning, growling into a bluesy feature while the other three twinkle in accompaniment.

Shiroishi continues to shine on “Hamilton,” lending airy indie vocals in Japanese atop Sage’s tender piano musings. Subtle distortion and swells gently prod the ballad’s serene orchestration – the patience of the music and the versatility of each band member allow them to coast into different spheres of genre with coherent ease.