Amidst major music genres of vocal-centric pop music, rap and hip-hop, there is a quiet revolution taking foot, and it is led by a trio from Texas, Khruangbin. With their hypnotic, trance-like grooves and genre-defying soundscapes, they have captivated audiences around the world.

From the past and springing up with new breath, Thai funk has taken center stage, a surprising well of psychedelic and vibrant influence hailing from the 1960s and 70s. A genre that is finding new life in the hands of a new guard of talented musicians.

Is Khruangbin the Gateway to Global Sounds?

This trio from Texas has blown through like a sprinting torchbearer, and in its wake the rise of instrumental music that transcends international borders. With an appreciation for the international music scene, especially Thai funk, and with their use of minimal vocals and heavy grooves, they have combined various elements from dub, surf rock, soul, and of course, Southeast Asian Psychedelia.

Another interesting note is that their name means “airplane” in Thai. It’s a name that many fans have mispronounced or can’t remember the exact pronunciation but either way they are enthused by bands’ influence and music.

Khruangbin’s ability to create narratives without words and evoke emotion with sonic vibrance is what sets them apart. Most of their tracks have a cinematic feel, as one interviewer puts it, their music sounds like a soundtrack from a Quentin Tarantino movie.

Their influential and inspirational sound creates an imaginary spark for a new realm of creativity in music. The band’s mood-driven music also resonates with listeners that are enveloped in a world saturated with lyrical content and taking them on an emotional tour both mentally and sonically.

Out from Obscurity to Influence: Thai Funk!

Once a niche genre, Thai funk was something only known to collectors and crate-digging DJs back in the day. Popularized by the stylings of artists like Dao Brandon and Suthep Daoduangmai, who blended traditional Thai melodies with psychedelic effects and western instruments took the genre to sonic levels, creating a unique palette that encapsulated a feeling for both the futuristic and the nostalgic.

With a renewed interest in the genre, Thai funk has gained new attention through compilations on YouTube with channels like Thai Funk ZudRangma, unearthing a plethora of rare vinyl recordings.

Khruangbin’s debut album The Universe Smiles Upon you, a heavily sampled rendition was inspired by these sounds, and with that they had inspired a whole new generation of listeners revitalizing the genre.

How is it that Instrumental Music is Thriving Now?

Well, let’s take a look at some of these contributing factors to the resurgence of instrumental music.

For one, the globalization of taste from streaming platforms has made it easier for the discovery of various music genres from around the world, and on that note has taken down language and cultural barriers. The walls are comin’ down!

Two, with a focus on ambiance, this music is perfect for background music where instrumental tracks are perfect for study, work, and relaxing. This also contributes to the rise of ambient ‘lo-fi’ playlists. Could this be the next thing eating up the coffee shop vibe?

Thirdly, is cultural curiosity. Because of the availability of technology by opening doors in the music realm, younger audiences can explore and find diverse cultural identities and histories. This is great on so many levels for the younger generations.

A Future Landscape for Borderless Music

Cultural fusion and the fluidity of the genre through rising bands like Khruangbin signal a broader trend emerging. The evolution of this genre through exploration and reinterpretation by artists on a global scale could give us a glimpse into the future where we may possibly see more collaborations across the continents. Where traditional instruments are blended with modern production widening the sonic plain.

Forgotten genres can also be revived as musicians, searching for inspiration, dig deeper into catalogs and regional archives for that spark for new material and inspiration.

Then there’s the shift in music education, this is where interests are peaked and exploration into ethnomusicology opens doors wider into non-western rhythm and exotic scales.

Once considered just a niche, instrumental music is now taking foot as a forerunner in a movement that values mood, texture, and cultural storytelling. The influence that Thai funk has left in it wake is just one example of how the past can reach up and grab hold in informing the future, creating a borderless tapestry that is rich and vibrant. Music is both beautiful and enriching and Transends the times. So, keep writing, exploring, and creating!

Combat Yoga

A New Way to Find Inner Peace or Just Another Spiritual Crisis?

Satire folks!

In the last decade, since the lockdown and the ‘coof’, a new form of exercise has hi-jacked the scene in the world of fitness. This new genre of exercise promises to combine combat training, with all of its physical benefits and bravado, with the spiritual enlightenment of yoga.

We’re talking about a hybrid practice here folks, aptly named “Combat Yoga”! This new form of exercise has sparked both intrigue and concern, especially among health professionals, personal trainers, and wellness enthusiasts alike. All martial arts aside; some have said that this is supposedly one step above Thai Chi!

Come on now! Proponents of this combat style, sorry… Combat Yoga touts its ability to cultivate the ‘Eye of The Tiger” through strength, balance, and flexibility, while also promoting the ‘inner Bruce Lee” with a sense of empowerment and powerful self-defense

Yes, awe inspiring! Also, its powerful ability to transform any body type, be it ectomorph, mesomorph, or endomorph, into what some critics have stated “results that look akin to steroid abuse”.

But all that aside, proponents also argue that the blending of the ‘peaceful state of mindfulness and tranquility’ of traditional yoga with the assertive badass disciplines of combat training provide a “holistic” approach to physical and mental well-being.

Ok, given all of this, the critics are very quick to point out the potential, detrimental, and spiritual consequences of such a fusion of arts. Yoga as a practice in its original form, is deeply rooted in the traditions of ancient Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. All of which emphasize the harmonization of mind, body, and spirit.

By inserting the needle of combative elements into the vein of practice designed for inner peace, some have stood up and protested that Combat Yoga will adulterate the spiritual essence of yoga and turn it into a based form of exercise or just another low-level combat sport. This could also lead to more exorcisms in the advanced forms of practice; some have also stated.

To take it a step further, the impact of Combat Yoga upon the community at large has risen quite a few eyebrows! On one side, proponents argue that the aspects of self-defense can build and empower individuals, and on the other side, critics vacillate and worry that self-protection or the militaristic undertones of Combat Yoga might be a contributing factor that can lead to more of a culture of violence and aggression, a Rambo ethic, if you will, rather than fostering genuine spiritual growth, peace, love, and harmony.  

I asked Quasimodo this question… can one not help but wonder? I mean, can Combat Yoga truly be a path to enlightenment, strength, and dominance, or… is it merely a misguided attempt to merge conflicting philosophies into a human superpower?

This trend is gaining in popularity, and it continues to grow exponentially, especially among the plastic dolls in Beverly Hills, West Los Angeles, and the San Fernando Valley. But it is essential that both practitioners and onlookers, alike, take a critical eye and examine the implications not only on the individual but on the whole of society. If it were worth anything, ‘in the real’, this would go viral. But yeah… right.

In the pursuit of physical fitness and spiritual well-being, it is a minefield when it comes to Combat Yoga. It is crucial to tread mindfully and lightly, honoring the integrity of either practice, understanding the potential ramifications of their convergence.

In wrapping this up, the true essence of yoga lies in finding harmony within oneself if, not the world, rather than in a place of violence, aggression and combating others. But damn! Some of those move’s would look sooo stylish in combat!

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