Rumi Shimada
Alternative/Psychedelic-Pop Sacramento, CA
Tracks off new EP "Groping around for the light switch"
"Quietly hypnotic stuff, with intriguing harmonic leaps and textures and noir, existential lyrics."
-Paul de Barros (The Seattle Times, Downbeat Magazine, and Earshot Jazz)
"I listened to your album and was absolutely stunned by your work. So great on so many levels. Writing, singing, playing, arrangements, lyrics."
-Timothy Young (Guitarist on The Late Late Show with James Corden; has collaborated with musicians such as Wayne Horvitz and Bill Frisell)
Bio
Rumi is a singer-songwriter, producer, and event organizer from Sacramento, CA.
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Rumi found himself inspired to write somewhat morbid but pretty songs in a hunkered-down state during the pandemic in 2020-21. Shortly thereafter, he began figuring out how to arrange and fake his way through playing and laying down tracks on various instruments, eventually birthing his first album, Audiofolds in 2022.
Following this, Rumi began playing his songs with a band, slowly getting into the loop of things in the Sacramento music scene. He released another solo arranged and recorded project, Groping Around For The Light Switch (EP) in 2024, and has continued to play out in the Sacramento area and mingle with agreeable local bands.
Rumi's music is reminiscent of artists like Radiohead, Elliot Smith, Jeff Buckley, and Talk Talk, but he also takes great inspiration from soul and R&B flavors from the likes of people like D'Angelo, Marvin Gaye, and Lauryn Hill. His music comes out sounding kind of "Art-pop" or whatever.
Alongside making, playing, and hearing music, one of his greatest passions is building connections and community through music. Rumi is an aspiring event promoter, and he dedicates much of his time to putting on events like his festival, Pink Bandit Music Fest - a Sacramento indie-scene showcase of sorts, held annually in a beautiful outdoor venue in the summer. You can find shows and events hosted by Rumi on instagram: @missingmusician.presents & @pinkbanditmusicfest
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All that aside, Rumi and his band will be on tour in July of this summer in the Pacific Northwest, and they hope you will pop in and say hi if you're around.
Audiofolds and Groping Around For The Light Switch are available to stream on all platforms and for download on Bandcamp.