Thailand

Re-uploaded by request 2/22/2023. Direct download, no decrytption code needed.

As with a lot of music culled from the bins of little shops & markets throughout Southeast Asia, the original master recordings for most of the music here are virtually impossible to track down. Therefore, these recordings were transferred directly from their old vinyl sources, giving each song a slight crackling quality, as though you just dropped the needle down on the original record.

There are no details about the artists themselves or when the songs were recorded, so if you’re really interested, you’ll have to do some in-depth research. The Impossibles (pictured above) relocated to Hawaii & still play occasionally still today. Many of the other artists are not so easy to find. Most of these songs are from the 70s & 80s, very diverse but impressive. There is some familiarity: Kana TNT’s “Kod Hang Kam” borrows completely from Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In the Wall Part 2” & songs like Pranee Thanasri’s “Chown Thur Ten Rum” are the funk you would have heard at some seedy soulful Bangkok discotheque during the late 70s.

This music is called ‘Luk Krung’ in Thailand, being a variation of U.S. soul & funk reformatted in the countries own ethnic formation. It is the music inspired by what the Thais heard on the radio, on records & cassettes, & from bands passing through Thailand, then flavored with good Thai spice. These CDs are riddled with horns, wah wah riffs, bass-y hip-swaggers, & pre-disco funk numbers.

These were packaged in hand made cotton sleeves, limited to a run of 1300 copies, hand numbered. I am posting Volumes I & II.

Various – Thai Funk ZudRangMa Vol. 1, ZudRangMa Records ZRMCD001, 2008. 

Tracklist –

Louis Kennedy – Pu Yai Lee (Chief Lee)

Meesak Nakaratch – Luk Ron (Love Hot)
Chantana Kittiyapan – Chee Vit Kon Dum (A Life Of A Black Person)
The Hot Pepper – Kun Rod Fai, Pai Rod Bus, Kee Chang, Kang Tent (Get On Train, Go With Bus, Elephant Ride, Put Up Tent)
Ongart Jeerapan – Ka Ma Kon Deay (I Come Alone)
Plearn Promdam – Sam Bai (Jolly)
Royal Sprite – Yang Hai Mun Kong (Don't Let Them Cheat)
Kana TNT – Kod Hang Kam (The Circle Of Karma)
Panadda Chayapark – 5000 Nut (5000 Shot)
Pranee Thanasri – Chown Thur Ten Rum (Ask You For A Dance)
Panadda Chayapark – Rus Pu Tin
Nakplang Krumklowna – Disco Tour
Champoo – Arai Arai Kor Disco (Everything Is Disco)
Buppa Saichol – Sheng Ra Bert (Bored Explosion)
Chairai Chaiyata / Sawanee Pattana – Khow Tai Doey Loak Puin (You Should Die By Bullets)
Chantana Kittiyapan – Sa Ra Wan
Sroeng Santi – Nam Man Pang (Expensive Gasoline)
The Impossibles – Do It (Till Your Satisfied)

 Various - Thai Funk ZudRangMa Vol. 2, ZudRangMa Records ZRMCD002, 2009. 

decryption code in comments

Tracklist –

Bualuang OST – Singto (Lion)
Panadda Chayapark – Yoong (Mosquito)
Chai Muangsing aka Man City Lion – Pee Kao Pee Oak (Ghost In Ghost Out)
Sangthong Seesai – Duang Duang Duang (Luck Luck Luck)
Sripai Jaipra – YomMaBan TaLangKan (Officer Of Hell's Announcement)
Sangthong Seesai – Kam Kao (Old Karma)
The Impossibles – Pom-Pom-Pom (Hair-Hair-Hair)
Soonthorn Sujaridchan – Sara-A-Mor-Sara-R (Kee Mao) (D-R-U-N-K : Pissed)
Soonthorn Sujaridchan – Sara-A-Mor-Sara-R (Kee Mao Lae) (D-R-U-N-K : Wasted)
Soonthorn Sujaridchan / Krongthong Tussanaphan – OutTaLud Bump (Hurtle Bump)
The Generation – Racing
The President – Ruk Chua NiRunDon (Love Forever)
Don Sornrabeab – Mao (Drunk)
Chantana Kittiyapan – Ya-Ya (No-No)
The Oriental Funk – Loy KraTong Disco
The Generation– Kon Muan Khan (People are the Same)
Sroeng Santi – Leang Mai Toe (Overkill)
Buppa Saichol – Kon Chob Pluk (Waker)
Sroeng Santi – Ba Bor Por Khan (Crazy Same Same)
Hongthong Dao Udon – Mai Keay Ruk (Never Loved)
Rayrai Na Koratch – Kard Klan Nam Mun (Lack of Gasoline)
Royal Sprites – Noom Rai Por (Kenaf Farm Man)

Funk out,

NØ

p.s. - I've included a link in the comments to some 60s pop from Thailand. Avail yourselves.