Above all else, Khruangbin are vibe masters—as chic as a high-end perfume ad, as luxuriously chill as a post-edible nap on a pleasure cruise. But what makes them special is the grit, the hiss, the natural reverb—all of the human touches that have helped them seamlessly build from an obscure, free-flowing, globally minded psych-rock band into a tastemaking big-deal festival draw with high-profile collaborations (a pair of killer EPs with Leon Bridges) and grooves warm enough to soundtrack Miller Lite ads. That arc, perhaps predictably, yielded the wider breakthrough of 2020’s Mordechai, their third full-length set and first with prominent vocals—and as evidenced by “Time (You and I)” and “So We Won’t Forget,” they could have keep cruising comfortably down that hooky highway. Instead, with follow-up A La Sala, they’ve pivoted back to more raw, stripped-down arrangements, mostly prioritizing atmosphere over conventional songcraft. But who could possibly complain? Khruangbin utilize just about all of their favorite tools: Mark Speer’s surf-rock reverb pairs nicely with Laura Lee’s purring bass on “Fifteen Fifty-Three,” while “Hold Me Up (Thank You)” is pocket-funk perfection, with a barely there vocal gliding over Lee’s percolating bass, Speer’s slippery guitar reverb and DJ Johnson’s minimalist drumming, veering into Latin territory in the B-section. Yet, the centerpiece is “May Ninth,” a smiling but tear-streaked psych-soul pitter-patter—like strolling through the park on a spring day, with a storm cloud on the horizon. The vibe has never been thicker.
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