Showing 1 - 10 of 11
A Tale of Two Chinese Cities
B Magazine, Story & photos by Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 27/10/2019
» It was a gloomy morning when we arrived in Hangzhou, China. The overcast sky turned the entire city to quiet, grey grandeur under light drizzle as our bus pulled away from the airport to the city.
From his home base
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 22/09/2019
» It's not often that the success of an artist can be attributed to his/her talent alone. Without the full backing of a major label, most artists would struggle to get the sort of exposure required to bring them international recognition. Thai singer-songwriter Phum Viphurit, however, is an extraordinary exception. Signed to Bangkok's bona fide indie label Rats Records, the young singer-songwriter showed immense potential from the get-go with his 2014 English-language debut single Adore. Since then, he has delivered gem after gem, dealing in breezy folky rock perfect for a road trip to the seaside or a session around the campfire.
Fight The Fear
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 01/09/2019
» In his 1818 poem When I Have Fears, English Romantic poet John Keats talks about death anxiety, touching upon all of the things he wouldn't be able to achieve and/or experience before his demise. This universal fear has continued to resonate today, especially in the age where fear of missing out is constantly triggered by social media and unrelenting hyperconnectivity. The poem, too, has struck a chord with rising Dublin five-piece The Murder Capital and gone on to inspire their eponymous debut studio album rooted firmly in art-rock and post-punk traditions.
A caricature of oneself
B Magazine, Andrew Biggs, Published on 25/08/2019
» 2 Months Before The Event
Time for T
B Magazine, Suwitcha Chaiyong, Published on 28/04/2019
» Despite the language barrier, most Thai pop stars dream of being recognised on the international stage. Some have made inroads. Pop rock outfit Slot Machine released an album of English-language songs, which helped get them on the international music festival circuit. Thai-German pop idol Jannine "Ploychompoo" Weigel has built up a significant fan base online with the help of a number of songs in English; she currently has more than 3.3 million followers on YouTube. Thanwa "The Toys" Boonsoongnern caught the eye of Korean fans with his performance at the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards in South Korea. Last month, the 23-year-old was back in Seoul for a fan meeting.
To hell with the middle ground
B Magazine, Andrew Biggs, Published on 24/03/2019
» The public's right to know has always been a fundamental tenet of media ethics that needs to be treasured and protected.
Who is our Oscars Favourite?
B Magazine, Kong Rithdee, Published on 24/02/2019
» The most important of all unimportant things, the Oscars arrive on Monday morning, Thailand time. In a year that seems more muted than usual, Hollywood's biggest jamboree has striven to stay relevant with the inclusion of blockbuster titles such as Black Panther and Bohemian Rhapsody, besides the more edgy and less popular films that have claimed much of the headlines, such as Roma and Green Book. While there are many cinematic awards around the world, the Oscars still seem to matter the most, and the ritual of predicting the winners is at once a frivolous parlour game and an annual survey of the vital signs of mainstream cinema. Don't bet on it, but we offer our takes here.
Widescreen memories
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 20/01/2019
» Ever since I embarked on this music-criticism journey some five years ago, it's always been a personal mission of mine to be as diverse as possible when it comes to the albums I choose to review. While I'd like to think that mainstream and independent/left-field artists are equally given a chance to shine in this column, there's still a whole world of music out there that needs its due recognition. Which brings me to drummer-turned-piano virtuoso Eiko Ishibashi, a celebrated Japanese musician who, thanks to US-based label Drag City, is getting her releases outside of her native Japan.
Shopping while farang
B Magazine, Andrew Biggs, Published on 06/01/2019
» It is the New Year. In the spirit of the holiday season, I notice the man behind me is holding a single bag of mangoes, so I say: "You go first."
Top 20 singles of 2018 (Part 2)
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 30/12/2018
» As is tradition, we're wrapping up the year with a special two-part series featuring some of the best music to have come out locally and globally over the past 12 months. Culled from our 40-plus playlists stretching back to January, these tracks represent trends, cultural highlights and states of mind that reflect the times we're all living in (and trying to make some sense of). Without further ado, we're picking up right where we left off last week with our countdown to No.1. On that note, thank you for sticking with us until the very end -- here's to the new year of fewer whales choking on plastic bags, of nobody getting trapped in a cave, and maybe -- just maybe -- of an election.