Meet the people behind Bangkok's coolest independent record labels
The city's indie music labels and why they matter.
7 years ago
Kitsch Cat
Formed in 2008 by four music producers—Cesar B. De “Tar” Guzman aka Cyndi Seui, Jaree “Jerry” Thanapura aka Gramaphone Children, Mittraroon “Pa” Bochakkapan aka Stargazer and Peera “Max” Suk-a-sa aka Clubpopp—Kitsch Cat is an electronic-focused label which promises to give creative space to its artists. As well as Thai producers and musicians, they also represent a few foreign artists.
What’s your label’s signature sound?
Tar: Electronic pop, ‘70s-early-‘90s influences, soul, funk and the like. We are quite detailed and focus on all the little things.
Jerry: We’re sound nerds, and always collect things like random snare sounds, unique bass sounds, things like that.
What are you looking for right now?
Tar: I want our artists to have even more defined characters of their own.
Who are your artists?
Jerry: Pelifics [Norway], The Hair Kid [USA]—who has collaborated on Cyndi Seui’s latest album—Astrolabe [Japan], Apolo [Korea] and us four.
Why did you first start out?
Tar: We just felt like if we didn’t start then, we never would. To be fair, we were already working on projects in our spare time. Forming Kitsch Cat just meant we set a specific deadline for our projects.
What do you make of the current Thai music scene?
Jerry: It has improved a lot. People like Have You Heard? and Fungjai [see box] have helped improve the scene a lot by bringing indie bands from overseas to Bangkok. Thai indie bands have a more interesting sound, breaking away from the usual old pop/rock.
Tar: During 2000-2010, it was like a completely different feeling; people weren’t really interested in indie music back then. For the past 5-6 years, the indie music scene has become so much stronger, people are more open-minded about new genres. The DIY culture has also helped; people can learn how to record music at home via YouTube and it actually doesn’t sound all that bad.
What do you want your label to achieve?
Tar: I feel that we are now much stronger, we have new studios and are ready to move forward. We are ready to welcome more artists and are right now looking for them.
What upcoming projects are you working on?
Jerry: We release the Slice and Dice series in the first week of October, featuring Gramaphone Children with Pyra and MC Sinnamon from Dujada.
Pa: Stargazer is releasing a new single in November for Cat Festival.
Max: And we should be hearing a new album from Clubpopp sometime soon, too.
Who are your favorite Thai artists?
Jerry: Fwends and Jelly Rocket.
Pa: Yellow Fang and Solitude is Bliss.
Max: Polycat and The Innocent.
Tar: My Life as Ali Thomas, Siam Secret-Service and 4-Tao-Ter.
Comet Records
Formed in 2012 by Jakchai “Tung” Panchanon (with a lot of studio recording support from Sound Suite studio’s owner, Chawanet “Pong” Asanasen), Comet aims to introduce Thai electronic music to a wider local audience.
Why did you decide to form an independent record label?
I’m an interior designer, but I have always made music in my spare time, releasing some of it under the name Casinotone with Spicy Disc, when they first formed the label. But I wanted to form my own label, one that only focuses on electronic music.
What’s your label’s signature sound?
Indie electronic pop, dream pop. I want it to be a cross between live band and electronic music, and want it to be quite easy to get into, whether you listen to very underground music or pop music. Our sound is not overly “indie.”
What must artists have if they want to work with you?
We have to have the same attitude. If you’re in this because you want to be famous, we’d rather not work with you, because that’s not our goal. I like musicians who are different. We always choose the people who want to be original and different.
Who are your artists?
I’ve just released the Comet four-year compilation. I have about eight artists right now, including Morg, Minus88, Naked Astronaught, UNDA and Vivid Dream. Plus I have four of my own projects that I do with other musicians.
What do you do to help support the artists on your label?
We help with the songwriting process when they struggle, but normally our artists already have some ideas. Other than that, we help to promote them through media and the likes.
What challenges has your label faced?
The feedback from the audience has been quite good since the beginning, but financially, it was very bad for me in the early days. I then started planning the costs better, so we are good now. I feel that my struggle right now is finding enough people who are open to new music.
Do you think the Thai music scene is better now than in the past?
I think it has improved. Social media plays a big part. The internet has made it easier to find references, easier to reach audiences, easier for artists to release music on their own.
Who are your favorite Thai artists?
The electronic experimental duo Gad.
Panda Records
Panda has been deeply involved in the underground music scene since 1999 and is also responsible for Museum Siam’s outdoor Noise Market (next taking place Nov 19-20). Formed by Somsiri “June” Sangkaew aka June Bear-Garden, Yuthana “June” Kalambaheti from the band Stylish Nonsense, Bhuridata “Bhu” Jaiyasresratha from the band CAD, and Wannarit “Pok” Pongprayoon, also from Stylish Nonsense, it represents one of the biggest indie band rosters in the city. Here, we talk to Pok about running the label.
Why did you decide to form an independent record label?
Most record labels are very business-minded, and not very focused on the quality, so I had no interest in them. I had a clear picture of what I wanted from a label, so I decided to do it my way. The non-commercial way.
What’s your label’ssignature sound?
Originality. Our artists must have a strong character of their own and not just copy from other artists. Our production is quite raw, so our signature sound is quite edgy.
Who are your artists and how are they doing?
We have over 30 artists, including some side projects and foreign artists. These include Summer Dress, who are very natural in their sound; Hariguem Zaboy who are also very well musically educated; and Bear-Garden, who really have their own character.
What goals have you set for the label?
We’d like to have more merchandise for people to purchase, so Panda Records becomes a brand of its own.
Do you see a strong future in Thaimade music?
It’s improving but slowly. I feel that a lot of Thai musicians still copy from foreign bands, instead of taking influences to develop their own original sound. They just end up copying without developing.
Who are your favorite Thai artists?
A Thai music composer/conducter called Dnu Huntrakul from the band Mai Thai.
Rats Records
Anucha “Off” Ocharoen and Premkamol “Yuan” Santiwattana formed Rats Records in 2013, and have since put out releases from artists like Part Time Musicians, Phum Viphurit and, just last month, Henri Dunant, with the debut single "Nick of Time."
Why did you decide to form Rats Records?
Off: Before this, I was just making music for TV commercials and I got bored having to work according to clients’ preferences. I felt like I needed to do something that I actually enjoyed, to make music I actually liked.
Yuan: To hunt for quality Thai musicians because I'm sure we have as many talented musicians as any other places.
Is there a typical Rats Records sound?
Yuan: I don’t think so, but we take the recording process and technical stuff—mixing and mastering—very seriously.
Off: All of our artists have their own mixing signatures.
What must artists have if they want to work with you?
Yuan: We like people who are not afraid to have their own sound, who are not worried about whether their music is going to sell or not. They’ve got to want to give it all and not be afraid to be different.
Who are your most successful artists?
Off: At the moment we have two artists, Phum Viphurit and Henri Dunant. Our first ever band was Part Time Musicians, who are doing well. Their music was featured in the movie Freelance. Now some of their members are studying abroad, while one of them is a flight attendant for Singapore Airlines. The Whitest Crow were another of our bands, they released their first album with us, but said they wanted to do their second release on their own.
What problems do you see within the Thai music scene?
Off: Some commercial musicians are treated like products. Their label comes with a PowerPoint presentation about their 'theme' and 'concept.' The commercial side of the music industry is like that now.
Yuan: We feel that the independent music scene has improved, slowly, but that side still exists. Still, people don’t experiment enough nor do they want to improve themselves.
Who are your favorite Thai artists?
Yuan: Cyndi Seui, Basement Tape, Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band.
Off: Modern Dog, Stylish Nonsense.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THAI INDIE MUSIC
1994
The newly-founded Bakery Music releases Moderndog’s first, self-titled album. It sells 500,000 copies.
1995
Joey Boy releases his first album, which introduces hip-hop to Bangkok. The album goes on to sell over a million copies nationwide.
1999
Smallroom Records launches with the debut album of pop-rockers 4-Tao-Ter.
2000
Fat Radio launches, becoming the only music station to play and support Bangkok’s indie music scene.
2000
Panda Records releases its first project: a compilation of 10 indie Thai artists including CAD and Stylish Nonsense.
2002
GMM Grammy gives birth to Bodyslam, who go on to become the country’s greatest commercial rock success.
2004
Bakery Music closes and the owners go on to more mainstream success.
2008
Cesar B. De “Tar” Guzman aka Cyndi Seui forms Kitsch Cat with three of his friends.
2012
Interior designer Jakchai “Tung” Panchanon launches Comet Records.
2013
Part Time Musicians’ single “Vacation Time” (released under Rats Records) blows up on Fat Radio, drawing greater attention to the indie music scene.
2013
Panda Records stages the first Noise Market, an outdoor series of activities and performances that goes on to become one of Bangkok’s most popular annual indie events.
2014
The online indie music streaming service Fungjai launches.
2015
Fat Radio shuts down, later relaunching as the online-only Cat Radio.
2016
Moose Ekkamai closes down after four years as one of the city’s top live indie music venues.
IF YOU’RE INTO INDIE MUSIC, YOU SHOULD ALSO CHECK OUT...…
HAVE YOU HEARD?
This concert organizer is active in bringing indie bands from overseas to Bangkok and connecting them with local acts as support groups. Their past credits include Wild Beasts, Neon Indian, Erlend Oye and Of Montreal. Lined up for Dec 4 this year they have US indie rockers Yo La Tengo. www.fb.com/haveyouheard.live
FUNGJAI
This website lets you listen to as much indie music as you want, acting as a community that connects artists with fans. Its platforms include music streaming, an online magazine, live gig events and music business seminars and meet-ups. After just two years, it has expanded rapidly, and next plans to launch an English version of the site. www.fungjai.com
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