Sometimes you stumble upon a record whose mere existence feels so essential, you can’t help but ask: why only now? That’s certainly the case here – to get straight to the point – with this concise glimpse into Thailand’s music scene between the funky showband aesthetics of the 1970s and the shift towards mainstream sounds in the 1990s. If it evokes memories of South Africa’s Bubblegum era, that’s not far off: both scenes underwent a democratisation of production tools during the digital transition. Studio technology became more affordable, Western influences more permeable.
At the heart of it all: the aptly named Golden Sound studio complex on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok. The sheer breadth of how New Wave, synth-pop and other styles were received is evident right from the opening track by Krongthong Thatsanaphan. As if Gary Numan had been involved, a boogie-tinged pop song dissolves into futuristic synths – sounding remarkably contemporary, it wouldn’t be out of place on a Kate NV album. Sunday Boys’ »Rak thoe mi’ khlai«, in turn, conjures echoes of the Doobie Brothers and the yacht rock era. Too slow to disco, yet sultry enough to light up hearts in the small hours.
This is more than retro exotica – it’s a rediscovery that offers a genuine document of cultural identity operating below the radar.
