It's been a little over a decade since Lomosonic has graced the Thai music scene with the release of their debut album, 2009's Fireworks.
On that record, the quartet introduced us to their version of the alt-rock sound with stellar singles like Dok Mai Fai, combining buzzing guitars with the vocal prowess of frontman Aritach "Boy" Poltan. Thanks to their wildly electrifying stage performances, it didn't take long for Lomosonic to rise through the ranks to become one of the country's most sought-after rock outfits.
Despite a line-up change (bassist Aek and keyboardist Aum decided to leave the band following the release of their debut), Lomosonic still charged ahead with subsequent studio releases. Their second and third LPs, respectively entitled Echo & Silence and Anti-Gravity, further cemented their reputation not only as a fearless rock group, but also the most successful one at that. In fact, name any major music festival, and it's likely that these four bad boys will already have wreaked havoc on that stage.
The four-piece's legendary fearlessness persists on their latest output, Sweet Bros., a six-track EP marking their inaugural release on new label Genie Records. Helmed by Big Ass guitarist Poonsak "Off" Jaturaboon, the EP opens with the title track, Ruang Khong Pu Yai, a classic Lomosonic offering loaded with roaring drums and relentless guitar riffs. "I wanna know/ When they say it's adults' business/ Whose business is it really?" Boy sings, gently satirising the society's deep-rooted SOTUS culture.
After a strong opener, the production suddenly shifts into the more pop-oriented territory. Wan Tee Chan Mai Yu (Tomorrow) and Khon Kee Ouy (Flirt!) have that surging stadium-rock quality that recalls bands like Bodyslam and Potato. Meanwhile, the EP's second half leans heavily towards mid-tempo compositions. While some fall short (Young Mai Teung Wayla, aka Timing, features gorgeous guitar lines, but lacks a certain sonic punch to make it memorable), others, like a collaboration with pop-rock quintet 25 Hours called Puen Gao Cheu Kwam Jeb (Homecoming), feel like a revelation.
The verdict: Who would have thought that Sweet Bros. would actually sound … sweet? If you're used to the old-school Lomosonic, this new direction might not hit the spot.
Listen to this: Wan Tee Chan Mai Yu (Tomorrow), Puen Gao Cheu Kwam Jeb (Homecoming), Rak Krang Sud Tai (My Magnet).
THE PLAYLIST
Chanun Poomsawai
Nation Of Language / The Wall & I
Brooklyn new wave revivalists Nation Of Language craft yet another lush synth-pop offering in the form of The Wall & I, a track taken from their debut record, Introduction, Presence. With this one, songwriter-vocalist Ian Devaney paints a vivid portrait of confusion. "What am I?" he asks. "I am only dust in this light/ But I would like to find another way to find you here." To amp up the emotional gravitas, keyboardist Aidan Noelle and bassist Michael Sui-Poi pair their surging synth-laden arrangement with Devaney's melancholy vocals. The result is pleasantly reminiscent of New Order, which imparts that unique sense of joyous yearning. Curious to find out more about this trio? Watch this space for a full review of their debut LP next Sunday.
The Killers / Fire In Bone
The Killers' growing affinity with the grandiose 80s sound has reached its peak on their new song Fire In Bone. Set to appear on their upcoming album Imploding The Mirage, it follows the previously shared lead cut Caution and packs a substantial funk groove. Lyrically, vocalist Brandon Flowers is not feeling like his best self. "I felt no good, I felt lowdown," he rues atop sprightly guitars. "And I felt alone, I felt unknown." Despite all the gloom, he re-emerges victorious -- "After all that I put you through/ Here I am!" As with most of The Killers' tracks, this one is engineered to be heard in a stadium.
Connan Mockasin, Gentle Dom / I Want Troll With You
To support their artists during these trying times, Brooklyn-based indie label Mexican Summer has launched a new singles series called Looking Glass. The first song to christen the campaign arrives in the form of I Want Troll With You, a rework of Connan Mockasin's I Wanna Roll With You, courtesy of Gentle Dom, also known as MGMT's main man Andrew VanWyngarden. Here, he transforms the Mockasin track into a slice of dream-pop wonkiness, swapping the mournful tone of the original for a sprinkling of psychedelia that's perhaps more befitting the lovesick chorus ("I'm gonna roll with you all of my life/ You're such an easy flirt all of the time").
Lady Gaga (Feat Ariana Grande) / Rain On Me
Co-written by sought-after producers Bloodpop and Boys Noize, the throbbing Rain On Me finds the two pop behemoths in a self-empowering showdown as they exchange verses about resilience and perseverance. "It's coming down on me/ Water like misery," offers Gaga. "Gotta live my truth, not keep it bottled in," Grande chimes in the following verse. The life-assuring dance number marks the first of the three collaborations on the former's sixth studio album, Chromatica, which features guest spots from Elton John and Blackpink.
Everything Everything / Arch Enemy
UK art-rockers Everything Everything give us the latest taste of Re-Animator, their forthcoming LP which will mark their first since 2017's A Fever Dream. Entitled Arch Enemy, the funkified track is said to be about "a modern-day protagonist searching for a meaningful God". If that sounds like a high concept, we can assure you that it is indeed. "Dinosaur, now awake/ Sphinx of grease, faceless bloat/ Sacrifice in your name/ Blubber mount, sewage moon," goes the cryptic opening verse as frontman Jonathan Higgs explores psychologist Julian Jaynes' theory of the bicameral mind. "But I hear you calling/ And you come into my dreams at night/ And sunk in your head is a bicycle crown!"
