By Bonobo paid it forward when he included Khruangbin’s A Calf Born in Winter on his Late Night Tales compilation album. That was back in 2013 when the little known Houston trio had yet to release an album. Two artist albums later and with an international reputation, it’s Khruangbin’s turn to curate a selection for the revered series.
The three-piece band from Texas consists of Laura Lee Ochoa (bass), Mark Speer (guitar) and Donald “DJ” Johnson (drums). Together they make – in their own words – “Earth music”. It music influenced by ’60s Thai funk, bass-heavy psychedelic sounds and Tarantino soundtracks. Earlier this year, they released Mordechai, described by The New York Times as “a nostalgic LP that explores human memory”.
Khruangbin handpicked artists from around the world to showcase on their Late Night Tales compilation, which is out now. The tracklisting crosses borders and cultures, from Asian pop to Nigerian reggae. It also sways from Japanese mellow groove to Latina flavas. Nazia Hassan’s Hindi-disco Khushi sits alongside Don’t Go by South Korean rock band Sanullim. There’s a pair of African bangers from Nigerian Maxwell Udoh and Roha Band, from Ethiopia, while Spain’s Paloma San Basilio puts in a strident vocal performance.
The band also turn the spotlight on David Marez and Kelly Doyle, from their home state of Texas, while the mix concludes with an exclusive spoken word piece by Tierney Malone.
Global Territory
“We definitely wanted to cover as much global territory as possible,” said the band. “We wanted to show treasures from our hometown, or people from our hometown that the rest of the world probably doesn’t know. Then these gems from across the world, showcasing them in the same way. That’s what makes Khruangbin Khruangbin.”
Khruangbin also turned out an exclusive and horizontally brilliant cover of Kool & The Gang’s Summer Madness for the album.
Launched almost 20 years ago, the Late Night Tales series appeals to those who like their music a little bit left-of-centre. Fila Brazillia compiled the first album in 2001, and since then there have been releases from the likes of The Flaming Lips, Floating Points, Bonobo, Jon Hopkins, Röyksopp and many more. Our personal faves are from Belfast legend David Holmes and Icelandic producer Ólafur Arnalds, who both turned over fantastic compilations for the series in 2016.
Main image: Tamsin Isaacs
