Lam Klom Thung: Essential Phairin Phonphibun

Veteran bandleader, songwriter and producer Surin Paksiri has long been regarded as one of north-east Thailand's key musical figures. The ten songs here, released originally as 7” singles on his own label, showcase his mastery of a range of Isan musical styles, as well as his innovative layered production technique and willingness to introduce new sounds.

In 1973 Paksiri had a nationwide hit with a crossover song ‘Isan Lam Ploen’ sung by Aungkanang Kunchai, in which he mixed luk thung (Thai country music) with molam (north-eastern Thai music), creating a sound that is still hugely popular. When Kunchai formed her own band, he looked for another singer and found Phairin Phonphibun, who like Kunchai has a haunting, soaring voice. With Paksiri's production now developing into a mature sound, he provided the perfect musical setting for Phonphibun to shine, as on the driving, dance-floor favourite ‘Lam Phloen Doen Salab’, the more traditional ‘Ok Pansa’ and ‘Yan Hak Bo Ching’. Phonphibun's biggest hit, ‘Lam Klon Thung’, from the 1977 movie Mon Rak Mae Nam Mun is another a standout on a release that is essential for fans of molam music or Thai music in general.