Thai Pop at Sublime Frequencies

One of the many tragedies of the Khmer Rouge regime was the destruction of an incredible, swinging music scene in Cambodia. But Cambodia wasn't the only country to take early '60s western rock music and make it sensational by incorporating its own delectable homegrown sound. Thailand did, too. A friend of ours recently gave us a copy of "Shadow Music of Thailand" and we're now happily playing this limited-edition vinyl compilation over and over because it's so super-good that it raises the bar of goodness. It's on Sublime Frequencies.

A visit to Sublime Frequencies Web site is an exercise in restraint for those who love fabulous music from around the world. It's really hard to find a reason not to buy one of everything, and the limited-edition vinyl is the most irresistible. They also have some DVDs. Sublime Frequencies has a show at VBS.TV where you can watch their videos, too. The two clips of Thai street musicians are from ISAN: Folk and Pop Music from Northeast Thailand. Isan, or อีสาน, is the northeast region of Thailand and often considered the soul of the country.