Showing 1 - 10 of 17
Prepare For Takeoff
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 12/07/2020
» As their name implies, Khruangbin ("airplane" in Thai) primarily drew inspiration from the musical heritage of Thailand, particularly during the glorious 60s-70s.
Y2K Redux
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 03/05/2020
» Born in Japan and raised in London, Rina Sawayama is an artist caught between two cultures and identities.
Full Disclosure
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 05/04/2020
» When brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence released their impressive debut studio album Settle in 2013, the dance music landscape was already crowded with EDM artists scrambling for their next festival-sized drop. But here's a thing, they weren't looking to simply capitalise on the hype.
Top 25 Singles of 2019 (Part II)
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 29/12/2019
» As tradition dictates, we rummaged through some 200 singles we'd reviewed over the past 12 months and narrowed it down to 25. Here's what we learned in 2019: Thai fusion is still very much a go-to for most up-and-coming bands including Southern Boys and Suthep Entertainment, who both look to their roots for inspiration. This year also had its fair share of blazingly political moments, thanks to Solange, Lana Del Rey and our own rap troupe Rap Against Dictatorship. One final note, even though this list is split into two parts spreading across this and next week, these tracks are not ranked and their order is completely arbitrary in nature.
The grey area
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 10/11/2019
» To this day, no one can really say for certain what happened to Dear Tommy, a supposed follow-up to Chromatics' stunning 2012 opus Kill For Love. According to the popular (and, perhaps, most credible) myth, the record and its previously released singles were scrapped entirely by the band's producer Johnny Jewel, re-recorded, and then … silence. Dear Tommy, it seems, is being put on the back burner, and in its place we have their latest release, Closer To Grey, instead.
Driving ambition
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 13/10/2019
» Brisbane-born singer-songwriter and rapper Grace Shaw is not afraid to dream big. "Anything is possible if you just say that you're going to do it. That's honestly such a lifehack," she said recently in an interview with Fader. Shaw, who performs as Mallrat, went on to mention that she hopes to one day write songs for artists like Rihanna, Beyoncé and Camila Cabello. Her aspirations may sound rather ambitious, especially for a relatively new talent. But looking at the 21-year-old's resume, which includes two solid EP releases, a tour with fellow Aussie rapper Allday and opening for Post Malone, you can't help but wonder that she might be on to something.
A glow of satisfaction
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 18/08/2019
» In 2017, the world got to know singer-songwriter Mattiel Brown and her band (guitarist Jonah Swilley, bassist Travis Murphy and drummer Jordan Manley) for the first time. Collectively called Mattiel, the up-and-coming quartet made quite an impression with their self-titled debut -- so much so that they garnered an endorsement from Jack White. Since then, the hype surrounding the band has been nothing short of palpable. People are genuinely excited by Mattiel's sound, which takes cues from rock'n'roll legends like The Ramones, The Rolling Stones and The Velvet Underground, and garage/punk icons like Patti Smith and The Clash.
Hub of madness
B Magazine, Andrew Biggs, Published on 20/01/2019
» Greetings from the haze hub of the world.
When good intentions backfire
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 06/01/2019
» "Sometimes/ It falls upon a generation/ To be great/ I ask all humanity now/ To rise up/ Then we can all stand/ With our heads/ Held high," begins the Chris Martin-curated Global Citizen EP 1 with opener Rise Up featuring an excerpt from Nelson Mandela's now-iconic "Make Poverty History" speech. It's an apt start given the wholesome intentions of this EP, although it feels slightly jarring to hear one of the world's greatest speeches getting paired with the euphoric synths supplied here by the Norwegian production behemoth Stargate. The song is clearly engineered for a stadium/festival setting, so casual listening might not be the best way to approach what would otherwise be a stirring anthem.
Caring for khalid
B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 04/11/2018
» At the tender age of 20, Texas native Khalid Donnel Robinson -- better known as Khalid -- has already carved out a space for himself in today’s pop landscape.