Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Khun Narin - Khun Narin's Electric Phin Band (2014)

I throughly enjoy the music I get to write up on this blog. Wouldn't bother to write it otherwise, right? However, I have noticed it can fall into periods of similar music on which I have many thoughts, all them being some form of psychoanalyzing myself. This makes it nice when something is genuinely new to me, breaking any mold I've created in the past and forcing me to scramble to understand the new sounds in a vacuum.

Khun Narin's Electric Phin Band has a title that merits attention in and of itself. I hadn't a clue what a phin was and whether was usually electric. Turns out it is a lute from Indochina and that upon being electrified can produce an amazingly psychedelic sound. There's actually a compelling history in a couple of paragraphs on the bandcamp page as to how these Thai musicians got exposure in the West at all. It includes details like the rotating membership of the band, including a wide range of ages for the musicians from teens to those in the 60s. I am sure the story has been written by someone already, better than I can relate it, but I do wanna express how fucking cool this music is. Some of the finest psychedelia I've gotten to experience in weeks and will certainly be added to the list of albums I pull out when trying to impress folks with something under-heard and brilliant. 

Finally, as much as I'd like to take credit for finding this band, I must say that this unique and obscure find is thanks to my friend from São Paulo, the same that alerted be to the recent reissue of the Bonifrate EP. Truly making herself an valuable asset.

To be had here:
Khun Narin - Khun Narin's Electric Phin Band

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