Khruangbin - Mordechai [Black Vinyl LP]

Khruangbin released their third studio album Mordechai on June 26, 2020, through Dead Oceans and Night Time Stories. The Houston trio of Laura Lee Ochoa on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald "DJ" Johnson on drums returned home after nearly three-and-a-half years of touring to record this 10-track collection at their farmhouse studio in Burton, Texas. The album's title comes from a spiritual awakening bassist Laura Lee experienced during a hike with strangers, led by a father named Mordechai. Unlike their previous largely instrumental work, Mordechai features vocals prominently on nearly every track, marking a significant evolution in the band's sound. Drawing from their hometown Houston's diverse cultural landscape, the album incorporates influences from Pakistan, Korea, West Africa, and 14 different languages, creating their most vocally forward and emotionally direct work to date.

"Time (You and I)" delivers playground disco energy, while "Pelota" brings Latin rhythms inspired by a Japanese film but sung in Spanish. "First Class" opens the album with shimmering guitars and Lee's laid-back vocals, establishing the sun-soaked atmosphere that permeates the record. "Father Bird, Mother Bird" and the haunting closer "Shida" feature Speer unspooling gorgeous, elaborate, cascading melodies. "So We Won't Forget" stands as the album's high point, with the trio singing from inside a shower of West African guitar notes. "If There Is No Question" offers balmy reassurances, and "Connaissais de Face" showcases the band's psychedelic funk foundations. Throughout the album, the interplay between Speer's deceptively complex guitar work and Lee's bass grooves creates an immersive sonic landscape.

This black vinyl pressing with gatefold jacket delivers the album's intricate production with warmth and clarity. The gatefold design provides expanded space for the album's striking artwork, while the package captures the cinematic quality of Khruangbin's globe-spanning sound. This pressing makes their most vocally adventurous album accessible in a format that honors the analog warmth inherent in their approach to production.

• Format: Black Vinyl LP
• Standout tracks: "Time (You and I)," "So We Won't Forget," "Pelota," "Father Bird, Mother Bird"
• Pressing details: 2020 release, Gatefold jacket
• Genre/style: Psychedelic Funk, Psychedelic Rock, Surf Rock, World Fusion
• UPC: 656605149318

Mordechai finds Khruangbin balancing their exploratory instrumental work with a newfound vocal confidence, creating an album that feels both expansive and intimate. This gatefold vinyl edition preserves the journey of a band discovering new dimensions to their already boundary-pushing sound.

* The Spotify track list may not exactly represent the tracks and audio of this LP edition.

Track List:

Side A:

1. First Class
2. Time (You and I)
3. Connaissais De Face
4. Father Bird, Mother Bird
5. If There Is No Question

Side B:

1. Pelota
2. One To Remember
3. Dearest Alfred
4. So We Won’t Forget
5. Shida