Khruangbin - The Universe Smiles Upon You [Night Time Stories]

Format: LP pressed on 180-gram heavy vinyl.

Inspired by 1960s Thai funk—their name literally translates to “flying engine” in Thai—Khruangbin's debut album, The Universe Smiles Upon You, is steeped in the psychedelic, bass-heavy sound that defines their influences: Tarantino soundtracks and the laid-back vibe of surf-rock. The Texan trio consists of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald "DJ" Johnson on drums.

The Universe Smiles Upon You was recorded in their spiritual home, a remote barn deep in the Texan countryside where they held their first rehearsals. During long road trips to the countryside, the band listened to many types of music, but their favorites were 60s and 70s Thai cassettes rescued from the cult blog Monrakplengthai, and compilations of Southeast Asian pop, rock, and funk. This profoundly influenced the group's musical direction, the scales they use, and the way they shape melodies; elements which, combined with the vastness of the Texan landscape, gave rise to Khruangbin's exotic and distinctive sound.

Although the group started as an instrumental project, The Universe Smiles Upon You includes Khruangbin's first recordings with vocals. Songs like "People Everywhere (Still Alive)," "Balls and Pins," and the recent single "White Gloves" reveal a new dimension of the trio.

“We never really thought of having a ‘singer’, but we knew we wanted a voice for Khruangbin. We decided to write about something close, tell a story in the simplest way possible, and sing it together.”

The seed for Khruangbin was planted when Mark and Laura were invited to join Bonobo's 2010 US tour as part of Ninja Tune’s YPPAH project. The experience spurred them to get more serious about making music together, and DJ—who had played with Mark in the same gospel band for years—was the natural choice for drums.

After sharing their first recordings, Bonobo included "A Calf Born In Winter" on his 2013 Late Night Tales compilation. They then signed with Night Time Stories, the sister label to Late Night Tales, and released that track as a single in May 2014. In October of the same year, they released the four-track EP The Infamous Bill, and later the covers EP History Of Flight as part of Record Store Day 2015.

“We feel there’s a peacefulness that comes from being immersed in a space away from the distractions of the city and everyday life. We make our music in a barn, in the hill country of Texas, because it makes sense to us. Being out there allows us to make music naturally, and that’s just what we wanted for this album. We wanted to make a record that let the music flow, and we hope that’s what you can hear.”