Psychedelic Rock Band Khruangbin

Khruangbin are an innovative Houston trio who have been crafting captivating psychedelic instrumentals since 2001, drawing on global influences to craft truly original musical compositions. Composed of bassist Laura Lee Ochoa, guitarist Mark Speer and drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson.

While their music remains diverse in culture and styles, A La Sala is proof of this new direction in their approach. Their first album since 2020’s Mordechai displays this.

Origins

Khruangbin from Texas creates dreamy psychedelic rock inspired by an eclectic global sound palette, making music that invites one to settle back and let themselves drift off with clouds on a lazy afternoon or for creative exploration at home.

Music to move to, with an infectious bass and drum rhythm is one of the primary reasons the group has garnered so much acclaim. But its sound remains grounded in Texas soil: It began recording at a barn located thirteen miles west of Brenham populated by 298-person Burton population with bassist Laura Lee Ochoa, drummer Donald Johnson, guitarist Mark Speer as recording artists.

Khruangbin have chosen an old barn as the setting for their latest album, A La Sala. Low on lyrics, the emphasis lies with subtle instrumental shifts that weave their way between genres and global musical traditions – an extension of their 2015 debut release The Universe Smiles Upon You; only now with an even deeper dive into all forms of global music traditions.

Styles

Khruangbin’s music is captivating, often conjuring images of nostalgia and exoticism. Their instrumentation is intricate and multi-layered; featuring intricate guitar melodies, minimalist basslines, and their drummer’s lively beats to bounce and glide along. Their sparse vocal arrangements amplify these instrumental arrangements, adding depth and dimension while complementing Khruangbin’s global influences.

No matter their musical influences, A LA SALA’s music has always captured Houston’s vibrant diversity and global culture with an instantly identifiable sound. Their latest album A LA SALA reduces to increase scale while refining their signature blend of global grooves into an unforgettable hypnotic combination.

Much like their previous albums, the band used field recordings and environmental sounds as textures in the mix to create an immersive listening experience. The result is an intimate intercontinental party vibe blending funk, R&B and Middle Eastern psychedelic rock; all held together by signature drumming by each member and an unparalleled knowledge of their instruments; creating an enveloping meditative soundscape which creates the feeling of being lost in another city.

Influences

Khruangbin are an internationally-acclaimed trio from Texas known for their mix of world music influences and ability to set an atmosphere. Ranging from Middle Eastern and 1960’s Thai funk, their sound has an alluring quality which draws listeners in. Fronted by bassist Laura Lee Ochoa’s airy vocals and Mark Speer’s roaming fretwork – their musical language allows for multiple interpretations.

But even though their music transcends genres, its influence still comes from each band member’s upbringing and cultural experiences. That’s why, on their fourth album A La Sala — Spanish for “to the living room” — they remove vocals altogether to focus more on instrumental grooves that first put them on the map.

Speer and Johnson spoke with us about their international ties, Houston’s place as the cultural-mixing capital of America, their upcoming collaboration with Leon Bridges and how the new album represents a coming home experience. You can listen in above.

Recording

Khruangbin may seem to hail from the Western world, but they’ve always embraced an eclectic range of influences while remaining true to themselves and maintaining their distinct sound.

The trio rehearses and records on bassist Laura Lee’s family farm near Burton, Texas – approximately an hour outside Houston. Here is where they found space to create their latest album release “Con Todo El Mundo.”

Utilizing only analog gear, the trio employs an intuitive approach to recording. Instead of using click tracks for precision tracking purposes, they record directly onto tape deck allowing for free-form improvisation throughout an album.

Con Todo El Mundo showcases the band‘s musical curiosity at its highest. Comprised of off-the-cuff recordings (voice memos from sound-checks, travel diaries, epiphanies), Con Todo El Mundo is an eclectic compilation that highlights their creativity as a group and revisits seeding albums with field recordings to add depth and dimension to songs.