Wednesday, October 22, 2025

pause: push (me) again



artist: pause (พอส)
album: push (me) again 
tracklist
01. หมา (ma)
02. เมืองเทวดา (mueang thewada)
03. ที่ว่าง (thi wang)
04. ไม่มีแล้ว (mai mi laeo)
05. มหัศจรรย์ (mahatsachan)
06. แม่ (mae)
07. มองอย่างเดียว (mong yang diao)
08. แผ่นดินแผ่นฟ้า (phaen din phaen fa)
09. ยื้อ (yue)
10. เมื่อไหร่ (muea rai)
11. ธาราทัต-ธีรวัฒน์ (tharathat-thirawat)

this week, classic recordings from alt-rock pioneers, pause! formed at bangkok's srinakharinwirot university, where the four were studying under the faculty of music, pause was amarin lueangboribun (joe) on vocals, norathep masaeng (no) on bass, phonkrit wiriyanuphap (a) on guitar, and nirut detbun (boss) on drums & percussion. this cassette is their 1996 debut with bakery music, recorded at the label's kamol studio in siam square [the cassette features a different tracklist and album art than the compact disc release, which would swap in a moody café cover photo of the band, as well as one new track and an acoustic version of the hit single]. with their mix of soft ballads and heavier funk-rock numbers, pause managed to capture both the pop audiences and fans of harder alternative sounds, though their career was sadly cut short by singer joe amarin's death in 2002. the rest of the band continued in separate projects, occasionally re-uniting as pause with other frontmen over the years. enjoy!

Thursday, October 9, 2025

netnang arunrung: ta toe yaei



artist: เนตรนาง อรุณรุ่ง (netnang arunrung)
album: ตาเทอแย็ย (ta toe yaei)
tracklist
01. ตาเทอแย็ย (ta toe yaei)
02. เจ้าบ่าวหาย (chao bao hai)
03. แขมร์แปลไทย (khmer plae thai)
04. มาม๊วตจอลจวม (mamuat chon chuam)
05. วาสนากันแจตรม (watsana kanchaetrom)
06. ตรูงมะนาย (trung manai)
07. หวานใจชาวเรือ (wan chai chao ruea)
08. เค๊าะสัญญา (ko sanya)
09. บทเรียนชีวิต (bot rian chiwit)
10. โกนสลันคอนแม (kon salan khon mae)

this week, by special request, some excellent thai-cambodia border music from netnang arunrung! a member of south isan's khmer surin community, netnang has been a staple of the phairot sound roster for decades. this 2007 cassette is themed around the local mamuat ritual, which involves communing with healing spirits for medical interventions and protection. the music is on-brand for p.r. productions of the time.. a classic kantruem so-fiddle & percussion combo punched up with drum machines and bass guitar, all to support netnang's brilliant singing and some great group vocal interplay as well. enjoy!