In Japanese, KaraJishi means “Chinese Lion Dog,” a magical being with supernatural powers and the ability to ward off evil spirits. You’ll likely find a pair of these Lion Dogs standing guard outside the gates of a Japanese Shinto or Buddhist temple, preventing evil from entering the premises.
And, so, it seems appropriate that when musicians Ben Strick and Elijah Blake decided to collaborate, they named their finished product KaraJishi. Upon meeting, the two discovered a mutual love for Japanese culture, and never held a recording session without a special brew of Japanese tea. Not to mention that Ben and Elijah also seem to be magical beings with supernatural powers – musically speaking, of course.
KaraJishi has now revealed the next installment from their debut EP entitled “Killin Mine.” “‘Killin Mine’ is about millennials going above and beyond to live up to these unrealistic superficial standards we are now often confronted,” says Blake. “Ben’s production plus that iconic piano solo in the bridge is just something you don’t hear much in music now at all. All the more reason why I love how unapologetically placed it is in through your KaraJishi Sonics.”
“Killin Mine follows first single “Give up the Ghost,” a haunting 4-minute track that brilliantly showcases Elijah’s impressive vocal range and Ben’s remarkable ability as both an instrumentalist and a producer.
“We really want to push the boundaries of what modern pop music can be,” shares Strick. “We’d like to change the game a little, by combining our two styles and making this music accessible. We’re mixing Elijah’s R&B side with my sort of weird, progressive metal and rock, to make something completely new.”
Enjoy the eargasmic single “Killin Mine” above and stay tuned for their debut album Realism very soon! For more info visit here.
