Digital version available at https://emrecords.bandcamp.com/album/em-records

An exciting collection from pioneering Thai molam idol Banyen Rakkaen, featuring her most thrilling performances from the early to mid-70s, with innovative genre-bending arrangements and production from Thepphabut Satirodchomphu. These tracks, all originally released on 7-inch vinyl, showcase her powerful yet alluring voice, revolutionary yet rooted in tradition. Her exciting performance style was revolutionary and shocked traditionalists, but none could dispute the fact that she was a truly gifted singer, and Theppabut’s visionary production skills added to the feeling of freshness and vitality. The early 1970s saw a growing demand in Thailand for exciting and danceable music, and the recordings compiled in this release filled that demand perfectly. Banyen was one of the great singers of that era who propelled Isan music to nationwide popularity. A true star who in 2013 was designated a living national treasure, Banyen stole hearts with these hard-driving hits, while inspiring a new generation of aspiring singers. Banyen will now steal your heart -- on CD or 12-inch vinyl. Cover art: Shinsuke Takagi (Soi48)

LP version: 4p insert

+ The liner notes written by Soi48
+ English text / rare photos / remastered

Tracks:
1. Spinning Cotton on a Full Moon Night
2. Lam Phloen to Soothe the Heart
3. Promise of March
4. Lam Phloen World-class
5. I Won’t Move
6. Lam Yao Salab Toei
7. Toei from the Heart
8. Lam Phloen Bar Girl Banyen
9. Lam Phloen I Don’t Love You
10. Whose Guy Is It?
11. Lam Phloen Daen Isan
12. Lam Toei Salab Chak

Soi48 (EM Records/OMK):
DJ unit and Thai music research team comprising Tokyo natives Kei'ichi Utsuki and Shinsuke Takagi. They are the authors of the 2017 reference book “Trip to Isan: Traveling Thai/Isan Music Disc Guide”, and the organizers of and resident DJs at the long-running “Soi48 Party” at Be-Wave, Tokyo. They are also members of a mysterious group called OMK (One Mekong). Soi48 values music, old and new, over format, using vinyl, cassette, CD, VCD and USB to bring a wide range of Asian music, from modern to traditional, to audiences at their DJ events. They are the directors of the EM Records Thai music series, which currently consists of more than ten releases. They also served as the music directors for the critically acclaimed 2016 Kuzok film Bangkok Nites. They are active both in Japan and internationally, appearing at Fuji Rock Festival, writing for magazines and books, and appearing on a number of radio and TV programs.