World / Traditional / India
416 products
The relaunch of EM Records’ Thai music series. Paradise Bangkok, Soi 48 and EM Records have teamed up to deliver a new series showcasing the extraordinary performances of some of Thailand’s greatest musical legends. The first release is the seminal album Isan Lam Plearn released in 1975 by Angkanang Kunchai. This album represents a crucial moment in Thai musical history when the performance styles of Molam (*1) and Luk Thung (*2) were fused together for the very first time!
Born in the province of Ubon Ratchathani in Isan (the northeastern region of Thailand), Angkanang Kunchai was a young female prodigy who emerged on the Molam scene, and became one of the first generation of Molam performers who were able to “sing” popular music (*3). From an early age she was mentored by renowned national Molam artist Chaweewan Dumnern, and in her mid-teens joined the legendary musical troupe the Ubon-Pattana Band as the lead vocalist.
In 1972 at the age of 16 she released a single "Isan Lam Plearn", which went on to become an enduring classic, covered most recently by major contemporary pop star Tai Orathai. The song was also a defining moment in the career of Ubon’s legendary producer Surin Paksiri, as it was the first recording in which Isan music – in particular Molam – was fused with Luk Thung from Bangkok to form the new musical genre of Luk Thung Isan. This music invented by music industry genius Paksiri, transformed Molam groups into rock bands and saw them starting to perform with the same kind of intensity as Luk Thung artists. The mix of contemporary singing styles with traditional Molam broke new ground and resulted in some truly surprising and influential music. "Isan Lam Plearn" became a major hit as the theme tune to the film Bua Lam Pu, and before long this new forbidden cool began to infect everyone, with performers turning in their droves to the Luk Thung Isan style. This turned out to be a precursor to the spread of Isan music across the country and the Molam boom that engulfed Thailand in the 90s – an unprecedented period in Thailand’s musical history in which Luk Thung singers were simply not able to make it in the record business unless they could perform Molam.
While typically albums produced in Thailand tended to be collections of singles, this work produced by Paksiri has an unusual degree of conceptual unity, and this is a very significant aspect of the album. It is an undeniable masterpiece that sees the Ubon-Pattana Band, led by Paksiri, delivering a performance that dramatically traverses genre boundaries, in an eerie sound-scape populated by the cute and rarefied tones of the young singer… It stands above and apart from the many Luk Thung Isan works that followed. As a bonus track, we have included Kongpetch Kaennakorn’s version of the much-covered "Isan Lam Plearn". Includes commentary in English and Japanese and an explanation of the lyrics.
Footnotes:
(*1) Molam: “Mo” is an artist and “Lam” is a kind of performance art where the artist tells a story using tonal inflexions.
(*2) Luk Thung: An important musical genre originated in Thailand which pulls together influences from various musical sources including rock, latin, regional Thai, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and Hawaiian music. It is also known as music for country folk. This term was coined in the first half of the 1960s.
(*3) Molam pieces are not actually “songs”, so this distinction is significant. At the time, Molam performers were basically forbidden from singing popular music.
+ Newly remastered
+ First ever world release by the artist outside of Thailand
CD version:
Standard jewel case. Booklet including liner notes written by Chris Menist (Paradise Bangkok) and scarece pics. English & Japanese text.
LP version:
4C inner sleeve incl. liner notes and pics.
The music of Clan Caimán is primitive and hypnotic. It is located in the pre-rock era and from there, it proposes a different evolution path for music from the 1950s to present day. Like a different musical development in a parallel timeline. Gamelan, Hawaiian music, surf, exotica, rainforest or aquatic; these elements make up the palette which constructs a mystic and profound music that seeks ancestral connection.
Formed in 2016 by musician, composer and producer Emilio Haro looking to create music generated by group dynamics, Clan Caimán differs from his past two solo albums (“Panorámico” in 2007 and “Estrambótico” in 2012, both on Radiaciones Armónicas) in that these were studio work and not meant to be played live.
The quintet's enigmatic sound is built upon the kalimbafón, an instrument created by Haro using several kalimbas, Diego Voloschin's wild and hypnotic percussion (no cymbals, no snare), Gonzalo Cordoba's lap steel and baritone guitar, Facundo Gomez's psychedelic guitar tones and Claudio Iuliano's dry and percussive bass sound.
This debut album contains eight anachronistic and oddly familiar compositions that range from introspection to trance, tracing their own sonic landscape.
Mustapha Skandrani. Besides having an excellent name, this man, a luminary of Algerian music, possessed a unique musical sense, able to transcend the borders of musical cultures to create a distinctive fusion of Arabo-Andalusian and European styles.
"Istikhbars and Improvisations", recorded in 1965 in Paris, is a solo piano album presenting a trans-Mediterranean crossover based on traditional Algerian vocal pieces known as Istikhbars. Playing these istikhbars (which have roots in the Islamic Arabo-Andalusian culture which flourished in Spain) on the piano, that quintessentially European instrument, Skandrani was greeted with derision by some purists. Skandrani's powerful musical vision, however, perceives the European element involved in Arabo-Andalusian musical culture, a world of exchange and co-existence, and his decision to play this music on the piano reminds us of this European influence.
Skandrani's modus operandi on this release is to present each istikhbar, modal in nature, then to play an improvisation based on the istikhbar and its attendant mode. This A/B alternation continues throughout. The pellucid clarity of Skandrani's playing on this album may remind the listener of a modal Goldberg Variations, Bach and Glenn Gould transplanted to Andalucia. Other ears will hear the Arabic/Maghreb elements more strongly. Skandrani's precise touch and clear, symmetrical rhythmic sense links both worlds, assuring us that the Mediterranean is not a barrier, but a unifier, and that the differences between the cultures are not vast. This is an admirable acheivement, resulting in beautiful music of a rare charm.
Mustapha Skandrani was born in Algiers in 1920, and died there in 2005. He mastered a number of instruments at an early age, and his musical prowess led him to work with the great singers and ensembles of his day, in live performances, recordings, and radio broadcasts. Later in his life, he devoted much energy to education.
"Istikhbars and Improvisations" is available on CD and LP vinyl, with English and Japanese liner notes.
"Never Forget Me" is the second release on EM Records from Angkanang Kunchai, one of the greatest Thai singers; the original 1979 vinyl release, now extremely rare, was a collection of her self-produced songs, backed by her own band. This radically independent stance, though admirable, caused the album to languish in relative obscurity, due to her lack of support from the business masters of the Thai music scene of the time. "Never Forget Me" is a plea to her fans, and although the original album was not widely distributed, the high quality of the songs ensured that she was indeed not forgotten. Her first album, which was produced by Surin Paksiri, was the very first of the new molam-luk thung style; the songs here continue in that vein, a mix of modern luk thung Isan and various types of molam, backed here by her hand-picked ensemble, which later disbanded due to financial pressures. Despite these struggles, "Never Forget Me" lives on, its killer tunes loved by DJs and given a 5-star rating by psych record guru Hans Pokora. Available now on vinyl and CD, with English lyrics and liner notes, this is unforgettable.
+ Compiled/liner notes/cover art by Soi 48
+ English liner notes & lyrics
CD version: Standard jewel case, 24p booklet
Two human national treasures, Morlam, who appeared in the movie "Y / OUR MUSIC" and Ankanan Kunchai who appeared in the air tribe "Bangkok Nights", will appear in this competition! The glittering names of Isan's stars are lined up on the work list only for the big names who have been active for many years from Isan in the northeastern region of Thailand, but this time, in the era when they were competing with music itself without PV or TV media exposure, Internon A selection of 70s-80s Morlam / Luk Thung / Thai Funk Nambar, whose production was glaring, mixed with hit songs and rare songs. This is also a textbook that automatically unravels modern Thai pop music from the Isan side. The memorable first work of the Mor lam type "Lamb Pane" that he made and popularized is also making its debut! When you look at Doi Inthanon's work, the expression "I attacked the center (Bangkok) from Isan" fits in, but let's see how much the demon trader Doi-sensei, who is unconventional, went wild! (Teacher, it's unreasonable ~)
* "Mor lam" Mo is a master, and Lam is a performing art that speaks with intonation in the tone. In other words, it is a "master of narrative" and is a name that refers to both the singer and the performing arts. Mor lam is not a "song". Isan (Northeastern Thailand) is the home.
* "Luke Thun": A Thai-specific song genre formed by absorbing Thai local music and music from rock, Latin, India, China, Japan, Hawaii, etc. Known as "Countryside Song". Early 1960s
The name was given to.
+ Song selection / commentary / binding: Soi48 (with English translation)
+ Japanese / English translation
+ CD version: Normal jewel case, 28-page booklet
+ LP version: Liner included
TRACKS:
1. Mont Muanneua "I hate Bangkok"
2. Chaberply Namwai "Chabaply Rum Prune"
3. Ankanan Kunchai "Empty Coconut"
4. Orn Ummer Shinsiri "Sorrowful Morlam Daughter"
5. Nuchanato Nantaner "Your Thor is the sound of love"
6. Hongtone Daoudong "Looking for Hongtone's Lover"
7. Tong Thai Tin Isan "The Weirdest Lamb Prune Part 1"
8. Thorper Chantratip "Boy of Motor Rhino"
9. Po Charat Tonneau Sung Soom "Attack on You"
10. Tone My Marley "Lamb Pane 4 High Man"
11. Quanter Farsawarn "Lamb Pane 4 High Woman"
12. Po Charat Tonneau & Quanter Farsawan "At Huadoon Turn Village"
The KlapYaHandz label, a long-running labour of love helmed by Sok Visal, has been at the forefront of a revitalization of contemporary Cambodian culture since the beginning of the 21st century; it was the very first independent hip hop label in Cambodia, nurturing an ecosystem of rappers, producers and engineers, male and female, fusing hard-hitting Khmer-language hip hop rhymes with samples of Khmer traditional music and Golden Age hits, propelled by relentless grooves. Returning to his Cambodian homeland after a youth spent absorbing hip hop in France and the U.S., Visal’s energy and focus inspired a new musical generation; his love of Cambodian music as well as hip hop melded with his ear for jazz, funk and soul, and led to the creation of some very cool music from the artists he brought to his label. The 12 tracks on this CD are the very finest from the first decade of the KlapYaHandz galaxy. Hip hop, yes, but very definitely Cambodian hip hop, with traditional and Golden Age musical elements very prominent. Very cool, very Cambodian, very cosmopolitan, and very contemporary, but the past is always present, a love of musical history lighting the way forward.
+ 36-page booklet
+ English liner notes and lyrics
+ Liner notes written by Sok Visal and Sorany Var
Tracks:
1. Rin / Hip Hop [2001]
2. Phnom Penh Playaz / Ride With Us [2002]
3. Aping / Ereva Chanoy [2005]
4. Aping / Sangsa Lek 1 (feat. Dina) [2005]
5. Khmer Rap Boyz / Berk Chak [2007]
6. Kelly / K. E. L. L. Y. [2007]
7. Pou Khlaing / Yeak (feat. Adda) [2008]
8. Yungsterz / Luk Ko Luk Krobey [2008]
9. Khmer Kid / Laut Doch Besdoung (feat. Lisha) [2010]
10. Lisha / Srok Sre [2008]
11. Nen Tum / Dey Srok Khmer [2011]
12. Yungsterz / A yap [2011]
We all know Thailand is a place where magic happens, and sometimes it's a place where dreams come true. Suthep Daoduangmai was an ordinary man from the predominantly rural Isan region with a long-cherished dream of forming a band under his own name, even though he wasn't a musician. After a spell of hard work overseas, he returned home wealthy and, magically, formed one of the most successful molam groups ever, an extravagant orchestra with over thirty members, including twelve dancers, blending traditional Isan instruments with modern Western instruments, and featuring four excellent singers, two male, two female. Of particular note is that legendary singer Siriphon Amphaiphong, along with her sister, made her debut with this band. But perhaps this wasn't all magic; Suthep Daoduangmai had an innate musical sense and a keen populist spirit, enlisting great singers and bringing in master producer Doi Inthanon to help hone his vision. This album, originally released in 1984, was a super-hit throughout Thailand, highlighting producer Doi's entertaining new dance-friendly "lam phaen" style, with lively tempos and street-wise country-meets-city lyrics, as exemplified in the title track in which the two male singers head to Bangkok and show the city folks what's what. Originally released on cassette, plus a few vinyl copies for radio play, this 1984 sensation is available again now on vinyl, and, for the first time, on CD. Feel the magic!
We all know Thailand is a place where magic happens, and sometimes it's a place where dreams come true. Suthep Daoduangmai was an ordinary man from the predominantly rural Isan region with a long-cherished dream of forming a band under his own name, even though he wasn't a musician. After a spell of hard work overseas, he returned home wealthy and, magically, formed one of the most successful molam groups ever, an extravagant orchestra with over thirty members, including twelve dancers, blending traditional Isan instruments with modern Western instruments, and featuring four excellent singers, two male, two female. Of particular note is that legendary singer Siriphon Amphaiphong, along with her sister, made her debut with this band. But perhaps this wasn't all magic; Suthep Daoduangmai had an innate musical sense and a keen populist spirit, enlisting great singers and bringing in master producer Doi Inthanon to help hone his vision. This album, originally released in 1984, was a super-hit throughout Thailand, highlighting producer Doi's entertaining new dance-friendly "lam phaen" style, with lively tempos and street-wise country-meets-city lyrics, as exemplified in the title track in which the two male singers head to Bangkok and show the city folks what's what. Originally released on cassette, plus a few vinyl copies for radio play, this 1984 sensation is available again now on vinyl, and, for the first time, on CD. Feel the magic!
Media Condition: VG+ Sleeve Condition: No Cover