And, indeed, I will ask on my own account here, an idle question: which is better—cheap happiness or exalted sufferings? Well, which is better?---Fyodor Dostoevsky ---Notes from Underground Fyodor Dostoevsky ---Notes from Underground Even now, so many years later, all this is somehow a very evil memory. I have many evil memories now, but ... hadn’t I better end my “Notes” here? I believe I made a mistake in beginning to write them, anyway I have felt ashamed all the time I’ve been writing this story; so it’s hardly literature so much as a corrective punishment. Why, to tell long stories, showing how I have spoiled my life through morally rotting in my corner, through lack of fitting environment, through divorce from real life, and rankling spite in my underground world, would certainly not be interesting; a novel needs a hero, and all the traits for an anti-hero are expressly gathered together here, and what matters most, it all produces an unpleasant impression, for we are...
Hope
To be human is to be a miracle of evolution conscious of its own miraculousness — a consciousness beautiful and bittersweet, for we have paid for it with a parallel awareness not only of our fundamental improbability but of our staggering fragility, of how physiologically precarious our survival is and how psychologically vulnerable our sanity. To make that awareness bearable, we have evolved a singular faculty that might just be the crowning miracle of our consciousness: hope.--
Erich Fromm
Khruangbin is an American musical trio from Houston, Texas. The band comprises Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald Ray "DJ" Johnson Jr. on drums. The band is known for blending global music influences, such as classic soul, dub, rock and psychedelia.Wikipedia
Khruangbin plays a set accompanied by Drippy Eye Projections for Pitchfork Live.
00:00 Intro
00:38 Cómo Me Quieres
04:14 Dern Kala
07:45 August 10
12:41 Friday Morning
19:27 August Twelve
24:45 Mr. White
29:26 Two Fish and an Elephant
34:14 White Gloves
37:19 Lady and Man
42:37 Evan Finds the Third Room
48:19 Maria También
A Texas trio that essentially sounds like a sunset on a beach you’ve never been to, Khruangbin is a masterclass in global "vibes." Their name—Thai for "airplane" (literally "engine-fly")—perfectly describes their sound: a jet-setting blend of 1960s Thai funk, Middle Eastern soul, and West African rhythms, all held together by a rock-solid dub foundation.
If you’re diving into their discography or just want to appreciate the craft, here is a breakdown of what makes them so distinct:
The Core Components
The "Pocket" Bass: Laura Lee’s bass lines are the melodic heart of the band. They are deceptively simple, hypnotic, and heavy on the groove, often acting as the lead instrument.
The "Spaghetti Western" Guitar: Mark Speer’s guitar tone is drenched in reverb and echoes the soul of surf rock and Ennio Morricone soundtracks, blended with intricate scales from across the globe.
The "Metronome" Drums: DJ Johnson provides a crisp, understated hip-hop-influenced beat that never overplays, giving the other two space to breathe.
Khruangbin has recently entered an exciting new chapter with the surprise release of their latest album, The Universe Smiles Upon You II (2025), a spiritual successor to their debut that revisits their lo-fi, Thai-funk-inspired origins while incorporating the more sophisticated production they've developed over the last decade.
The Evolution of Their Sound
The "Khruangbin Universe" has expanded significantly through several key eras:
The Collaboration Era (2020–2022): Beyond their hits with Leon Bridges (Texas Sun, Texas Moon), they released Ali in 2022. This was a deep-dive collaboration with Vieux Farka Touré, honoring his father Ali Farka Touré’s "Desert Blues" legacy.
A La Sala (2024): Their fourth studio album marked a "return home." It was their first record since the collaborations to feature only the core trio, focusing on intimate, airy grooves and "Venn diagram" songwriting where their three distinct tastes perfectly overlap.
The Anniversary Tour (2025–2026): To celebrate 10 years since their debut, the band launched an intimate tour featuring 10th-anniversary performances, including unique covers like Sade's "Cherish the Day" and Turkish pop classics like Sezen Aksu’s "Geri Dön."
