Saigon Supersound Vol 3

This is the third and final volume in the Saigon Supersound series, covering the ‘Golden Era’ of south Vietnamese popular music in 1965-75. DJ and producer Jan Hagenkötter has deviated slightly from the first two volumes, which featured nhac tre or ‘youth music.’ This compilation showcases genres that emerged from the cultural collision between Vietnamese and Western music during the period. There are funky ‘action music’ (nhac kích đong) tracks that borrow Western pop song melodies, like the opener, ‘Thu Tình Cho Em’ (Love Letter for You) by Mai Le Huyen and songs that remain popular in clubs today, like ‘Hinh Anh Nguoi Em Không Đoi’ (The Image of the One You Don’t Wait) by Thanh Lan.

The album includes some excellent surprises, too, like the heart-breaking blues ‘Đieu Ru Nuoc Mat’ (Teardrop Lullaby) by Carol Kim. But the most popular genre of the era was bolero, represented here by superb singers like Trúc Mai and Lê Trong Nguyen – close your eyes as you listen and you could be hearing a Thai luk thung song. The collection ends with sad laments for peace and songs from wartime trenches that tug at the heartstrings. Saigon Supersound Vol. 3 is an essential for fans of South-East Asian popular music.