About

 This collection of 12 luk thung (1) songs from the 1960s-80s, all produced by Surin Phaksiri, is a superb showcase of cross-genre/multi-national fertilization, with Latin, jazz, western pop, Indian and Japanese music seamlessly melding with the musical world of Isan (northeast Thailand), which is strongly rooted in Laotian culture. Esteemed producer Surin Phaksiri, an Isan icon, always strove to drive Thai music forward, with innovative techniques and open ears, introducing international elements as well as Lao influences, including the use of the khaen. Most of the singers here, all famed and respected, have Lao roots, and it is predominantly through music that the Isan Lao-Thai culture has entered the Thai national consciousness. These lovely and joyous songs are, for the most part, previously unavailable outside of Thailand; more than half are first-time reissues. The wide range of songs here includes covers of Japanese folk and pop songs, a paean to marijuana, proto-Thai funk, a ramwong-style (2) dance tune, a cover of a Bollywood classic, some straight-ahead luk thung, a unique Indian-style luk thung, and a gorgeous answer song to a movie hit. This array of gems, compiled by Soi48, who also provide the liner notes, is available on CD, vinyl and digital download, with English notes and lyrics (only available for CD & vinyl version). - Bandcamp