Khruangbin – Psychedelic Bliss

Khruangbin (which translates to “engine fly” or “airplane”) of Houston creates exquisite instrumental tracks that effortlessly incorporate Thai funk, Caribbean grooves and Middle Eastern riffs for genreless bliss.

Bonobo first recognized the band with his Late Night Tales mix in 2013, which gave their career an international flair and provided them with a globalized soundscape.

The Band

Khruangbin, consisting of bassist Laura Lee Ochoa, guitarist Mark Speer and drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson from Houston, first came together through their shared passion for Afghan music. Since then, they’ve drawn from multiple genres — 1960’s Thai funk (Khruangbin translates literally to “Engine Fly”), dub and psychedelic, acoustic folk, Tarantino soundtracks as well as other sources – to craft their unique sound.

Their innovative blend has won them an impressive following and received praise from artists such as Questlove and David Byrne; yet what truly sets them apart from other bands is their knack for connecting with audiences.

On A La Sala, Khruangbin draws us closer inward and takes the listener on an immersive meditative journey. This album serves as an opening onto their resources – it offers insight into their vision refuelling us for long haul ahead. Unlike their contemporaries, no other Khruangbin like them exists – music should serve as a place for discovery rather than as an end point!

The Album

Though Khruangbin has become widely-renowned across major festivals and iconic venues alike, their journey was over a decade in the making. Bassist Laura Lee Ochoa and guitarist Mark Speer met each other through Houston music scene connections before teaming up with drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson to form Khruangbin (Thai for “engine fly” or “airplane”) to combine diverse global influences into psychedelic instrumental music.

Con Todo El Mundo showcases Khruangbin’s trio’s improvisational approach to musicmaking with an expansive and fuller sound that speaks their individual musical identities with natural clarity. Over its immaculate instrumental tracks, listeners can hear Thai funk woven through Caribbean grooves and seventies proto-zouk; Middle Eastern riffs nestled into psychedelic lounge dub – as well as vocals that don’t appear until much later; they’re superfluous because Khruangbin’s priority lies with understanding new places while simultaneously familiarizing one with unknown realities.

The Tour

Khruangbin has quickly reached seven-figure streams on streaming services like Spotify and TikTok, making them the go-to choice for captivating, mood-setting music that soothes boutique or TikTok videos. At live shows, their diverse audience ranges from EDM kids and jazz fans to psych-rock enthusiasts; each group connecting with Khruangbin’s musical universe.

Culture-mashers extraordinaire, they excel at weaving elements of diverse influences into one cohesive soundscape. Even their collaborators join this world; from live interpretations of G-funk fantasias to DJ Johnson’s noir-soul touches on “Todavia Viva.”

This show was noteworthy for being the first time the band performed their entire new album from start to finish, signaling their understanding of its individual path while being willing to push creative limits in their own unique manner.

The Future

Khruangbin offers us an intimate glimpse of their creative momentum, with Texas trio A La Sala as a window into how their efforts fuel their vision and refuel for future success. Scaling down to grow them up creatively was their strategy – an album designed with future in mind!

Khruangbin are an eclectic band who transcend genres and cultures, yet maintain an undeniably familiar sound across their repertoire. From Bakersfield-influenced basslines and guitar melodies that shimmer with Latin mystique to ambient sounds of nature on tracks like “May Ninth,” A La Sala is full of subtle reminders that Khruangbin are truly their own music makers as their distinctive sound echoes throughout each track – whether remixing Paul McCartney, selling out shows in iconic venues or creating their signature signature sound!

Discover sonic exploration this week at both The Mission Ballroom and Red Rocks with Hermanos Gutierrez from Ecuador joining them on both shows as guests of honor.