L IS FOR LAOS

I’m not exactly sure why I decided to start my interaction with Laotian music with the music of the country’s ethnic minorities—perhaps I just came across the album and added it to the appropriate Spotify country playlist—but I have no qualms. Apparently, the music of Harak and Brao ethnic groups was a precursor to the beloved Molam music style of Laos and Thailand. I am yet to discover Molam, but its roots are splendid and a lot like experimental noise by Western creators, only unadulterated and honest. Sublime Frequencies is a great label that I’m going to pay a lot of attention further, as they have a wealth of recordings from African and Asian musicians.

Ethnic Minority Music of Southern Laos collected by Laurent Jeanneau
Released in 2015 by Sublime Frequencies