The mellow sounds coming from the latest track by a female fronted band sets the vibe for a very chill evening.
It all started when Mark Speer met Laura Lee Ochoa. Ochoa initially played piano and guitar. Speer helped her learn the bass. Soon, the duo went on tour with Yppah. Realizing they wanted to create their own sound, after tour they invited Donald Johnson to join them on the drums. Before playing their first gig together, they knew they needed a name. Ochoa was learning to speak Thai and decided to use her favorite word in Thai, khruangbin, which means airplane.
Their first single, “Calf Born in Winter,” ended up being their first popular song to come out in 2013. Soon after, The Guardian named them the New Band of the Week. This led the way for them to open for Father John Misty, Tycho, Chicano Batman and Massive Attack.
In 2018, Khruangbin their second album, Con Todo el Numdo was released. The album was named as a tribute to Ochoa’s grandfather. A couple years later, their third album came out, Mordechai.
As if creating captivating music wasn’t enough, the group hosted “AirKhruang” radio shows on NTS Radio, and dabbled in airing this on Facebook Live.
2022 saw their album Ali’s release. 2024, they released their fourth studio album, A La Sala, which included their single “A Love International.”
How would you describe their sound? This could go so many different ways. It has a psychedelic vibe with a lounge aspect. Front woman, Ochoa, adds to the stage presence with her elaborate costumes and hair.
Whichever way you see their sound, it’s definitely different and catchy.
Pic by Ben Bentley.