The Sound of Siam, Vol. 2 assembles a selection from the Molam and Luk Thung Isan traditions of north-east Thailand, recorded between 1970 and 1982. Issued by Soundway Records in 2014, this nineteen-track collection unearths a rural strain of Thai folk and phleng phuea chiwit, with artists like Rome Sithammarat contributing to the archive. The title offers a window onto regional styles rarely documented outside their local context, foregrounding instruments and rhythms particular to the Isan plateau.Tracks such as “Eua Aree See Sor” exemplify the album’s blend of plaintive vocals and lam plearn melodies, while others range from rustic ballads to more upbeat ramwong dances. The record is a boon for crate-diggers seeking a hidden gem within Southeast Asia’s musical heritage, presenting a canon that resists easy categorization yet remains anchored in the daily life and sound-world of rural Thailand.

The Sound of Siam, Vol. 2 assembles a selection from the Molam and Luk Thung Isan traditions of north-east Thailand, recorded between 1970 and 1982. Issued by Soundway Records in 2014, this nineteen-track collection unearths a rural strain of Thai folk and phleng phuea chiwit, with artists like Rome Sithammarat contributing to the archive. The title offers a window onto regional styles rarely documented outside their local context, foregrounding instruments and rhythms particular to the Isan plateau.Tracks such as “Eua Aree See Sor” exemplify the album’s blend of plaintive vocals and lam plearn melodies, while others range from rustic ballads to more upbeat ramwong dances. The record is a boon for crate-diggers seeking a hidden gem within Southeast Asia’s musical heritage, presenting a canon that resists easy categorization yet remains anchored in the daily life and sound-world of rural Thailand.