About this item

Soundway’s second foray into South East Asia is focused on North-East Thailand, the epicentre of Molam and Luk Thung Isan music. Hypnotic phin and khaen riffs, pulsing, electrified country rhythms and heartfelt vocals punctuate another journey into the lesser known reaches of 1970s Thai music.

In this second volume of 'The Sound of Siam' the focus is firmly on the music the sounds of north-east Thailand, or Isan and attempts to show how a genre evolved and developed from essentially an acoustic tradition with specific geographic roots, to one that started to incorporate other instruments and influences that reached out to the Isan diaspora around the country.

The term molam is actually two separate words pushed together: Mo meaning ‘expert’ or ‘doctor’ and lam meaning ‘to sing’. Hence the literal translation means ‘singing expert’. Many molam records have extended intros that allow a vocalist to establish the theme of the song, as well as flex their improvisational muscles.

Luk Thung (literally ‘song of the countryside’) is a much broader, rural style that had a bigger impact nationally. Artists like Saksiam Petchompu began fusing this style with molam, a move which propelled him to national fame. You can hear the influence of western funk, as well as Thai arrangements, on the luk thung Isan (as the hybrid became known) smash Jeb Jin Jeb Jai included here.

'The Sound of Siam 2 - Molam & Luk Thung Isan from North-East Thailand 1970 - 1982’ features 19 tracks, many appearing outside of Thailand for the first time. Both CD and double LP and is accompanied with detailed liner notes written by compilers Chris Menist and Maft Sai.

TRACK LISTING

1. Angkanang Kunchai - Kid Hod Chu
2. Panom Promma - Mainaa Tam Pom Loey
3. The Petch Phin Thong Band - Bump Lam Plearn
4. Angkanang Kunchai - Teoy Salap Pamaa
5. Saksiam Petchchompu & Pornsurapon Petchseethong - Jeb Jing Jeb Jai
6. Montien Tienthong - Kor Kai
7. Onuma Singsiri - Lam Plearn Toe Lhong Tong
8. Petch Asia Band - Lam Plearn Tua Yaang
9. Banyen Sriwongsa - Ramwong Saraphan
10. Thepporn Petchubon - Pa Gun Tor
11. Thonghuad Faited - Eua Aree See Sor
12. Angkanang Kunchai - Lam Plearn Mee Mia Laew Pai
13. Banyen Sriwongsa - Lam Plearn Kon Baa Huay
14. Thepporn Petchubon - Saam Gler Tiew Krung
15. Angkanang Kunchai - Yak Si Glap Isan
16. Chanpen Sirithep - Lam Plearn Kiew Bao
17. Thepporn Petchubon - Fang Jai Viangjan
18. Yenjit Porntawi - Lam Plearn Gok Kaa Kao
19. Rome Sithammarat - Sao New Look