Named after the Thai word for airplane , the Houston trio soak up sounds from non-Western cultures and bygone decades, and spin it into a globetrotting fusion of vintage funk, soul, psych, disco and dub.
"Matter of fact", he points out, "two of the songs" have been hanging around since the band's 2015 debut album The Universe Smiles Upon You. Like their best work, it's smooth enough to zone out to as background music but with enough detail and idiosyncratic charm to zone in and reward your attention.The only recurring complaint to be found, among fans and critics alike, is that A La Sala simply offers more of the same.
Far from being a bad thing, offering more of their winning formula is exactly what Khruangbin's ever-growing fanbase desires. A writing room, rehearsal space and recording studio, the barn has become so crucial to Khruangbin's sound that the trio have described it as a fourth band member. No cats ended up on tape but Ochoa says they did make use of ambient sound to achieve a sense of homely atmosphere.