Khana Bierbood – Monolam Album Review (AOTM October)

The Thai band Khana Bierbood masterfully fuses surf rock, psychedelia, and traditional Thai music, creating a sound that feels both timeless and refreshingly different. Their music radiates warmth and joy — even if you don’t understand a single word of the vocals, it’s impossible not to smile. That’s why their album Monolam, released exactly one year ago, deserves the title of Album of the Month.

The record opens with a sun-soaked track that instantly transports the listener to palm-fringed beaches and lazy afternoon breezes. Soon, the soundscape deepens into hypnotic, dreamlike territory, where twangy guitars shimmer with reverb and echoes of Thai folk melodies weave through like mirages. Listening feels a bit like drifting through a 1970s Southeast Asian road movie — one directed by Quentin Tarantino, where faded lovers and mysterious strangers cross paths over whiskey and cigarette smoke.

A clear highlight is “Sang Xaswin,” a track that bursts into life after the album’s meditative opening. Suddenly, you’re no longer by the sea — you’re inside a sweaty and misty bar, surrounded by beautiful people dancing in a collective trance of rhythm and affection. The next song, “Fi Rak Sanae-Ha,” continues the spell, building a mantra-like atmosphere where the psychedelic guitar and monotone vocals pull you deeper and deeper into its haze.

Khana Bierbood’s ability to make such global yet deeply local music — where a surf riff meets the spirit of Thai folk storytelling — is what makes them so captivating. Their previous record, Strangers from the Far East (2019), already hinted at greatness, but Monolam feels like a confident step forward. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait another five years to see where their sun-drenched sound takes us next — perhaps into even stranger, wilder, and more beautiful places.

Release Date: October 25, 2025

Khana Bierbood – Monolam

Album of the Month by Cuberat