Soft Pine, Wadfah, Ford Trio, KIKI at Grand Postal Building (Bangkok Design Week) 2024.2.03
Last time I was in Bangkok – in the opening chapters of the pandemic (when many were hiding out down south) – we were lucky enough to stumble into Bangkok Design Week – a city-wide art festival that takes every district of the city, utilizing its various spaces – from abandoned temples to alleyway studios. One of the surprises that week were the free music showcase in front of the Grand Postal Building – just outside of Bangkok’s Chinatown. So it felt only convenient I start my holiday here with Bangkok Design Week – stronger than ever – with a jacked up musical showcase at the historical post office.
The lineup, as part of a ‘Music Exchange’ program (with a Taiwanese and Korean artists joining the showcase the following day) supported, according to various promotes and conference attendees, for the first time by the Thai government. That might explain why they brought out some heavy talent for Saturday’s homegrown showcase – with Soft Pine, Wadfah, Ford Trio and KIKI taking the stage.
And what a treat – Soft Pine – hitting that sweet spot between 90s alt rock and brezzy sun-bleached psych pop. Fully formed with a rythmic charge filled with the kind of vitality that’s infectious. Can’t wait to catch them again this weekend.
Meanwhile, Wadfah feels like vintage American bedroom pop – big beats, catchy synths, all led by the singer’s playful vocals that’s spry and spunky. It might have been the most accesible of the acts tonight, but it works wonders.
The biggest surprise of the night was by far Ford Trio – the trio quartet that’s a blissful mix of funk pop, Molam-laced blues rock, and psych pop. It’s hard to describe but there’s a disticntive Thai flavor to their music as well as a and riotous convicntion to their instumentality that’s immediately puts a grin on your face. A band that would kill here in China.
Last was KIKI – who based on audiences reactions, were the biggest pull for the evening. Electro pop on a big scale (I counted eight performers on stage) – soaked in propulsive disco-synth-pop grooves, woozy dream pop stylings, and a simmering R&B glow – despite their young age, the band has already racked up quite the following. And it shows.
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A fabulous start to our musical adventures in Bangkok. Please do check out these acts – let’s see if we can convince them to make the trip up to China!
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