Mordechai
Over the last decade, Khruangbin (pronounced “krung-bin”) has mastered the art of setting a mood, of creating atmosphere. But on *Mordechai*, follow-up to their 2018 breakthrough *Con Todo El Mundo*, the Houston trio makes space in their globe-spinning psych-funk for something that’s been largely missing until now: vocals. The result is their most direct work to date. From the playground disco of “Time (You and I)” to the Latin rhythms of “Pelota”—inspired by a Japanese film, but sung in Spanish—to the balmy reassurances of “If There Is No Question,” much of *Mordechai* has the immediacy of an especially adventurous pop record. Even moments of hallucinogenic expanse (“One to Remember”) or haze (“First Class”) benefit from the added presence of a human voice. “Never enough paper, never enough letters,” they sing from inside a shower of West African guitar notes on “So We Won’t Forget,” the album’s high point. “You don’t have to be silent.”
On their third album, the dubby band’s feel for a groove remains intact, but they often render vibrant sounds from all over the world as impeccably stylish mood music.
The Houston heroes have spent a decade quietly crate-digging and pushing the boundaries. Now, with album three, they've broken through
On her fourth album, Ware sounds gleefully unhindered in her exploration of desire, while Khruangbin offer a perfectly inoffensive third record. Nadine Shah’s ‘Kitchen Sink’ is a strong cocktail, garnished with a lemon twist of her signature wry humour
After Khruangbin released their second album, Con Todo el Mundo, in early 2018, the jet-setting Texan trio's music suddenly seemed to pop up everywhere, from play lists of many stripes to hip boutiques and eateries.
Epiphanic moments often reveal a sudden relevation or insight, though their presence is hard to predict. Such is the case behind Khruangbin'...
After a relentless three-year slog of touring, pumping out albums and touring again, Khruangbin said enough is enough.
Khruangbin are funky force of nature. The American group with the Thai name are phenomenally creative, with the past two years alone bringing their break
An effort to appreciate the present before it slips away into the recesses of memory forms the album’s foundation.
Houston's Khruangbin have gradually been building up a global audience over their young career.
Mordechai by Khruangbin album review by Gregory Adams. The full-length drops on June 21st, via Secretly Canadian and streaming services
The Texan three-piece are hard to pin down, but easy to love, review by Barney Harsent