Houston trio Khruangbin turn Thai funk, Iranian pop, and dub into hypnotic, borderless grooves that feel both vintage and futuristic.
MOODS · hypnotic · psychedelic · groove-driven · transportive · atmospheric
BIOGRAPHY
Khruangbin is a three-piece band from Houston, Texas, made up of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald Johnson on drums. The group formed after Speer and Lee crossed paths backing Yppah on a Bonobo tour in 2010, with Johnson, also known for his work in Southern rap production, joining as drummer. Their name is Thai for "engine fly," reflecting a sound steeped in 1960s and '70s Thai rock and funk alongside soul, psychedelia, and global influences.
Their song "A Calf Born in Winter" appeared on Bonobo's 2013 LateNightTales mix, leading to a record deal and their 2015 debut, The Universe Smiles Upon You. They followed with Con Todo el Mundo (2018), Mordechai (2020), a collaboration with Vieux Farka Touré called Ali (2022), and A LA SALA (2024).
WHY THEY'RE COOL
Khruangbin built a distinctive identity by fusing Thai rock and funk with Iranian pop, dub, and American soul into something that feels transportive rather than referential. Con Todo el Mundo drew widespread critical acclaim, including a Metacritic score of 78 and praise from Pitchfork for its psychedelic, border-crossing atmosphere. Mordechai was met with uniformly positive reviews, even as some critics debated whether it matched the intercontinental ambience of their earlier breakout. Across five albums and a high-profile collaboration with Vieux Farka Touré, they've steadily expanded a sound that resists easy categorization.
GEORGE'S PLAYS
George has played this artist 3 times.
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