- Mordechai, the new album from Houston psych-funk trio Khruangbin, is a particularly personal record for bassist Laura Lee. Previously, the band were known for instrumental or near-wordless tunes, that took cues from Tex-Mex desert blues, Thai psychedelia and influences spanning Africa to Asia and all manner of far-flung locations.
This eclecticism is still present on the new album, and what it shares with its predecessors is the skill with which it harnesses such diverse source material into crisp and focussed music. But it’s that above-mentioned personal touch that separates the record from the band’s previous work. The main difference that is apparent is the prominence of vocals and lyrics from Lee. The last time we heard words on a Khruangbin-related project was their collaboration EP with Leon Bridges last year, but this time, it’s the group’s own bass player who provides the voice.
Inspired by a personal journey of self-discovery, the album still very much feels like a Khruangbin album. The vocals and the lyrics ring clear, but as with the music, they have a hazy quality, like a sun-dappled memory. The rhythm section of Lee and drummer DJ Johnson continues to be one of the most effortlessly fluid groove combos around, while guitarist Mark Speer reels off surf and Middle Eastern tones that add to the music’s haunting power.
Hey, and just because the record is influenced by empowering experiences in Lee’s own life, it doesn’t become some kind of cathartic musical diary. Quite the opposite in fact. Her voice is cool, relaxed and doused with a little echo to give it a dreamlike quality that weaves effortlessly with the instruments.
As has become standard for this band, the quality never falters. Opening track First Class is a Khruangbin slow jam with floatiness and leisurely groove. Time (You And I) is swishy disco music – not so much a dancefloor filler, as a soundtrack for hobnobbing about Studio 54 in a glittered pantsuit, glass of champagne in hand. The colours of Mexico abound in the short, sweet Pelota, a Spanish-language tune with flamenco handclaps, reverb-drenched guitar and that Lee/Johnson bass and drum blend, as intuitive and natural as ever.
Lee’s lyrical journey will be rewarding for those willing to go along for the ride, but also never gets in the way for those who just want to be transported by the music. Mordechai gives Khruangbin fans the best of both worlds.
- Matt Thrower.