Khruangbin Review

Khruangbin, a Texas trio composed of Mark Speer on guitar, Laura Lee on bass and Donald “DJ” Johnson on drums, is known for compressing world music influences into experimental, atmospheric grooves – A La Sala (meaning “in the room”) is no exception.

Like an inviting living space, our website invites visitors in while offering global relevance.

Origins

Khruangbin members Laura Lee Ochoa, Mark Speer and Donald “DJ” Johnson hailing from Houston were raised absorbing music from all around the globe resulting in an eclectic sound that feels instantly familiar yet sets themselves apart from other bands.

As musical ambassadors between cultures, their work promotes cross-cultural understanding and appreciation through music. Drawing inspiration from global styles spanning all continents, they have developed their own distinctive sound palette which blends the earthy with the psychedelic.

While Laura Lee hails from New York City, Mark Speer hails from California and DJ Johnson hails from Texas; together they came together to record History of Flight (2015) as an EP release. 2016 brought The Universe Smiles Upon You while 2020 brought Mordechai, expanding genre boundaries further while earning critical praise and garnering them an enormous fan base worldwide. Their captivating live performances offer a sensory experience which have won them worldwide support from their listeners.

Influences

Khruangbin draws influences from around the globe into their atmospheric studio sound, effortlessly weaving rhythms and melodies from West Africa, South America, Thailand into songs with uniquely Houstonian grooves.

Their global musics find them rooted in 60s Thai funk (their name translates to “Engine Fly”), afro-cuban beats, Jamaican dub and surf rock. Formed through various influences – particularly Mark Speer’s guitar trills, Laura Lee’s warm bass lines and DJ Johnson’s funky drumming – their smooth instrumentals stand out.

Studio work from their trio has been an unceasing exploration of musical styles, taking them on an eclectic musical journey from Krautrock on their 2018 release Con Todo El Mundo to African highlife for collaborations with Leon Bridges in 2020 and 2022. Their most recent release A La Sala marks a return to their roots – without lyrics but instead structured around rhythmic frames and melodic hooks which provide its own structure.

Styles

Khruangbin’s multilayered tapestries of ideas began as spontaneous recordings–voice memos during sound checks or spontaneous epiphanies on long voyages. Once these ideas had been developed into sections, rhythms, musical interactions or complementary parts–a strategy rooted in previous work of the band–Khruangbin began refining them further to create something completely original and groundbreaking.

A La Sala is an album that marks a return to their creative roots rather than an abrupt departure. Each track on A La Sala features extended, unstructured soundscapings that defy traditional notions of beginning, middle, and end.

Music by Farolim de Felgueiras evokes mood and vibe, creating an experience without being audible. On “Farolim de Felgueiras,” Marko’s guitar collides with Laura Lee’s Moog to form an enchanting duet; lightly layered with sounds of shoes on stone steps and cicadas in an open field, creating Houston music with an international flavor – it’s a dance between cultures; an eclectic genre-bending psychedelic cocktail which sounds unique only itself!

Performance

Though their name may be difficult to pronounce, the trio’s name has become an iconic representation of their global influences. Their musical landscape defies categorization while their dreamy grooves have mesmerized audiences around the globe.

Onstage, bassist Laura Lee Ochoa and drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson donned matching black wigs that added to their mysterious presence. As they approached the audience with relaxed ease, demonstrating an appreciation of their patient audience that mirrors their musical style.

Khruangbin’s A La Sala (“To the Room”) album marks their return to their roots after working with Leon Bridges and Malian legend Vieux Farka Toure over recent years. Listeners can dive back into their signature soundscapes that have attracted such notable fans as Questlove and David Byrne; at the same time, however, A La Sala also represents their desire to explore uncharted territories while remaining true to themselves.