Song: “Chor Ma Kok”

Artist: Greasy Café
Label: SmallRoom Records
It’s little surprise that Kongdej Jaturanrasamee’s impressive second independent film, Tang Wong (see our review +film, page 38) boasts an equally impressive soundtrack. On top of two tracks from Yellow Fang, Kongdej once again calls on mate Lek Greasy Café to take care of the centerpiece tune. In keeping with the film’s questioning of belief, “Chor Ma Kok” delves into the idea of forgetting who you are in order to achieve what you really want. Musically, the track finds Lek expanding beyond his tried and trusted sad-guy-with-a-guitar formula, incorporating distinctly Isaan rhythm and percussion as well as some slightly creepy snippets of the traditional song from which it takes its name.

Song: “Ter Takon Tee Khao Krasib (Wired)”

Artist: Vinegar Syndrome
Label: Axis Records
The alt-rock duo Wuttinun Chamchoi and Korn Mahadumrongkul, return with their second single. Lyrically, it’s a similar story of a guy looking back at his past, yet “Wired” has a more uplifting edge. The sound, too, is more dynamic. Opening with a haunting choral sound, the first lyrics don’t appear until around the minute and a half point by which time the band’s built up an impressive wall of sound. On the evidence of their first two singles, Vinegar Syndrome have arrived with not only a fully-formed sound, but an adeptness for poetic lyrics that’s quite rare for Thai bands.          

Song: “La Fun (Dawn)”

Artist: Cloud Behind
Label: Independent
We’d argue that if one (sub)genre currently summed up the sound of young Bangkok right now, it’d be dream-pop. But while some bands do little more than bury their melodies under layers of fuzzy guitar, Cloud Behind really nail the aesthetic on this their debut release. The five-piece introduce themselves with a track that tells of a guy who wakes from a blissful dream to face the facts of life. With its mellow vocals, woozy synths and overall snail’s pace, this is one dream we’d rather not wake from.

Song: “Ter Kid Wa Roo Jak Rak Tee Kei Roo Jak Kae Nai”

Artist: Tabasco
Label: Lemon Factory
After previous comparisons to Two Door Cinema Club, we’re thrilled to hear the band aren’t afraid to shake things up, if ever so slightly, adopting a more electronic-infused sound here while retaining the same attention to melody. The single’s super long title, which literally means “how well do you think you know love,” gives you a pretty good idea what to expect, as frontman Champ continually asks such heart-wrenching questions over a stuttering, electro backing track.