Vinyl Digest: Folk, Rock & Psychedelia in South & Southeast Asia

Western bands have long been influenced by the music of the Eastern hemisphere, but simultaneous sonic conversations have occurred in South and Southeast Asia among local bands amalgamating imported sounds with tradition. The psychedelic repetitions and drones that Western groups have drawn inspiration from have long been crucial elements in music from South and Southeast Asia, and too often overlooked. In this selection of LPs and 45s, Chris Menist and Maft Sai, co-founders of the Paradise Bangkok label and party, share their personal top 300 picks. Across five chapters, the book explores modernized folk and its fragmentations into rock, garage, and disco, displaying an interconnection between South and Southeast Asian music and notions of psychedelia. Friends, musicians, and experts like Gilles Peterson, Alice Whittington, and Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) have contributed lists of their favorites.