“This is the rare record that lands on both a conceptual and instinctual level, and the disparate references feel almost deceitful in their cohesion: how could this weird idea, which snakes global influences across one another, coalesce so well?” — The New Yorker, on The Universe Smiles Upon You
“That sense of spaciousness, together with the Thai-inflected tunes, means Khruangbin sound like no one else, even as their songs shimmer with echoes of ‘Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)’ by Marvin or Curtis Mayfield’s score for Super Fly.” — The Guardian
After two years of worldwide success, unassuming Texan trio Khruangbin announce their highly anticipated second album, Con Todo El Mundo, out January 26, 2017 via DeadOceans. Continuing their world music pedigree, the band has expanded their global influences on this record from Thai funk to sounds of Spain and the Middle East, particularly Iran, from the 1960’s, 1970’s and beyond.
Formed of LauraLee on bass, MarkSpeer on guitar, and Donald “DJ” Johnson on drums, Khruangbin’s sounds have historically been rooted in the deepest waters of world music. Their 2015 debut album, The Universe Smiles Upon You, was heavily influenced by 60’s and 70’s Thai cassettes infused with classic soul, dub and psychedelia. This unusual mix created a powerful, hypnotic signature sound that’s entranced listeners around the world.
Their second album, Con Todo El Mundo, takes its name not from a grand global idea, but from a simple one. It’s in part dedicated to bassist Laura Lee’s Mexican-American grandfather, who was a big influence on her life. She says, “My grandpa would always ask me ‘Como me quieres?’ (how much do you love me?) And he’d only ever accept one response: ‘Con todo el mundo’ (with all the world). He created his own world to live in. Khruangbin is the world we’ve created.”
Since the release of The Universe Smiles Upon You, Khruangbin have spent the past two years playing non-stop worldwide. The band’s live history ranges from a European tour with FatherJohnMisty to supporting Tycho on a US tour, a string of festival dates including Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, ACL, OutsideLands, DesertDazed, SXSW as well as extended headline excursions. In a nod to their travels, Laura and Mark have been presenting a weekly “AirKhruang”DJsetlive each Friday on their Facebook page, where the pair play a selection of music by artists from a particular city. They also hold a monthly NTSradio show called “Cabin Pressure”.
The music video for the album’s first single, “Maria Tambien,” tells the story of Iranian women prior to the revolution of 1979, celebrating their creativity, freedom and ability to express themselves, and showing a side of women in the Middle East that often isn’t seen in the Western world.
The women in the video are all part of a large network of artists, singers, dancers and songwriters who have been either exiled or silenced since the revolution. With their new video, Khruangbin hopes to bring these remarkable women back into the spotlight and honor the artistry of silenced women everywhere.
Con Todo El Mundo Tracklist:
01. Como Me Quieres
02. Lady And Man
03. Maria Tambien
04. August 10
05. Como Te Quiero
06. Shades Of Man
07. Evan Finds The Third Room
08. A Hymn
09. Rules
10. Friday Morning
