Psychedelic-soul/rock trio Khruangbin initially bonded over Afghan music, Middle Eastern art history, and Thai funk—which led to their Thai-inspired name (translation: “airplane”).
∙ After touring with UK DJ Bonobo, the band made their recorded debut with the instrumental soul track “A Calf Born in Winter” on his 2013 mix album, Late Night Tales. ∙ Their hypnotic single “White Gloves” was a public-radio favorite in 2015, bringing national attention to their debut album, The Universe Smiles Upon You. ∙ In 2017, they reworked the Iranian pop song “Ma Be Ham Nemiresim” into a trippy instrumental for the multiartist charity album Philia: Artists Rise Against Islamophobia. ∙ The underground buzz for their indie-funk single “Maria También” helped 2018’s Con Todo El Mundo earn Album of the Year at BBC Radio 1’s Worldwide Awards. ∙ “Texas Sun”—the bluesy title track of the band’s 2020 EP with soul singer Leon Bridges—was a Top 20 hit on two Billboard charts: Adult Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs. ∙ The band introduced more vocal work into their mostly instrumental output on 2020’s Mordechai, which became a Top 10 hit in the UK, Australia, Germany, and New Zealand.
