team ngan khon thai phu: sound dontri lam sing, vol. 1

artist: ทีมงานคนไทภู (team ngan khon thai phu)
album: ซาวด์ดนตรี ลำซิ่ง ชุด 1 (sound dontri lam sing, vol. 1)
tracklist:
01. ซิ่งเทพธิดาเทวี (sing thepthida thewi)
02. ซิ่งขายหัวเราะ (sing khai hua ro)
03. ผู้ใหญ่ลีขอซิ่ง (phu yai li kho sing)
04. ซิ่งไอ้เซียงหมี (sing ai siang mi)
05. ซิ่งสาระวัน (sing sarawan)
06. ซิ่งสาวหยิกแม่ (sing sao yik mae)

this week, some instrumental wonder from northeast thailand! the "khon thai phu [/phu thai?] work-team" are a little-known group, recording for ubon ratchathani's ratchabut stereo. here they turn in a cassette's worth of phin-khaen workouts, strongly influenced by the lam sing style, the hip, "racing", 1990s technological update to the molam tradition. drum machines, electric bass and synthesizer back up the soloists. needless to say, great stuff.. enjoy!

preview:

num phuthai: tam nan phin amata, vol. 5

artist: หนุ่ม ภูไท (num phuthai)

album: ตำนานพิณอมตะ 5 บั้งไฟแสน (พนมไพร) ภูไทตะไลล้าน ตอน 1 (tam nan phin amata, vol. 5; bang fai saen (phanom phrai) phuthai talai lan)

tracklist:

01. บั้งไฟแสน (พนมไพร) ภูไทตะไลล้าน ตอน 1 (bang fai saen (phanom phrai) phuthai talai lan, pt. 1)

02. บั้งไฟแสน (พนมไพร) ภูไทตะไลล้าน ตอน 2 (bang fai saen (phanom phrai) phuthai talai lan, pt. 2)

the rocket festivals are on in northeast thailand & laos! annual merit-making events on the cusp of monsoon season, bun bang fai most typically involve launching massive pvc pipes loaded with gunpowder into the sky, with judges awarding points based on distance and vapour trails. music & dancing are of course integral to the celebrations, and to this effect we have today's tape from phin maestro a. num phuthai. 2 cassette sides worth of non-stop (brek taek or "brake failure") jamming, with characteristic rocket sound effects for added atmosphere. enjoy!

preview:

somprasong phinsayam: phinsayam klom nong

artist: สมประสงค์ พิณสยาม (somprasong phinsayam)
album: พิณสยามกล่อมน้อง (phinsayam klom nong)
tracklist:
01. ลำแคน (lam khaen)
02. ลายสร้อย (lai soi)
03. สุดสะแนน (sut sanaen)
04. ลาวเจริญศรี (lao charoen si)
05. สร้อยแสงแดง (soi saeng daeng)
06. ลาวดวงเดือน (lao duang duean)
07. สุดสงวนนางครวญ (sut sanguan nang khruan)
08. ทะแยมอญ (tha yae mon)
09. แขกขาว (khaek khao)
10. แขกมอญบางขุนพรหม (khaek mon bang khun phrom)

this week, some great phin work from somprasong phinsayam! the plucked lute is a vital part of isaan's folk music tradition.. to most listeners, the instrument is instantly evocative of the region and its inclusion is unavoidable in any isaan-styled pop music. today's tape features a complete unknown, mr. somprasong, doing runs through the thai/lao classical canon. despite the showmanship implicit in the double-headed phin on the gate-fold photo, this tape is largely without the sort of virtuoso shredding that we've come to associate with the phin. nonetheless, mr. somprasong is a competent instrumentalist, and his acoustic phin work with light organ & click-track backing is quite nice. hope you enjoy!

khana rung thawi: hae sot dontri phuen ban nong ko

artist: คณะ รุ่งทวี (khana rung thawi)
album: แห่สดดนตรีพื้นบ้านหนองโก ชุดที่ 8 + 9 (hae sot dontri phuen ban nong ko, vols. 8 & 9)
tracklist:
01. แห่สดดนตรีพื้นบ้านหนองโก ชุดที่ 8 (hae sot dontri, vol. 8)
02. แห่สดดนตรีพื้นบ้านหนองโก ชุดที่ 9 (hae sot dontri, vol. 9)

some more great stuff from a recent trip up to isan: khana rung thawi & their fantastic festival sounds! needless to say, the cover made this one irresistible, although the music lives up to it in about every way possible.. this is some of the most manic phin sing i've heard.. distorted drum machines, some amazing fake saxophone and the requisite phin shredding. rung thawi is a local khon kaen band, from ban nong ko specifically. this music, as the cover informs us, is great both for parades, or just listening for fun! enjoy!!

a. num phuthai: sing sam thao, vol. 1

artist: อ. หนุ่ม ภูไท (a. num phuthai)
album: ซิ่งซ่ำเฒ่า ชุดที่ 1 (sing sam thao, vol. 1)
tracklist:
01. ซิ่งซ่ำเฒ่า ชุดที่ 1 a (sing sam thao, vol. 1 a)
02. ซิ่งซ่ำเฒ่า ชุดที่ 1 b (sing sam thao, vol. 1 b)

this week we've got some electric isaan grooves from phin maestro a. num phutai! the พิณ (phin), a plucked lute of unknown origin, is in it's electrified form one of the most recognizable and attention-grabbing aspects of modern isaan music. achan num phutai, as well as being a teacher of phin (witness his many how-to vcds!), composes tunes for molam popstars.. but here it's just him, playing a solid 40-minute phin medley. as the approved product of a reputable phin instructor, i imagine this tape is replete with the expected virtuosity (though you'd have to consult someone with more pick-related knowledge than i). this one is another from alexandra; she has all the best! enjoy!!