Music

Dream team

By Tatat Bunnag

Slow Reverse are on the move

As 2009 draws to a close, an exciting contender for local album of the year has just been released by electronic-pop trio Slow Reverse. The record has received rave reviews, and album single "Moving" has already made it to the upper reaches of the Thai indie charts.

• Did you know •

The cover artwork for Slow Reverse was designed by artist Peera Suk-a-sa, also known as Yuri's Nominee from the Small-room label.

Slow Reverse consist of songwriter and producer U-Krist Sirichana (Uze), 28, singer Kasawan Kungvalpivat (Pang), 23, and 24-year-old Srivara Arayawongkul (Oil) on vocals and keyboards. Their self-titled debut album is full of dreamy pop soundscapes created with melodic guitars, electronic sounds and soothing, whispery vocals.

Slow Reverse are now set to follow up their recent Fat Festival performance with more gigs around town. Student Weekly recently caught up with the busy trio to find out more about their music.

STUDENT WEEKLY: There have been several line-up changes since you guys started. Can you tell us about that?

Uze: The original line-up was me, Oil and another female singer named Chompoo. We all met while we were studying architecture at Chulalongkorn University. Chompoo left to study overseas after we'd finished recording the album. Pang was a friend of Oil's, and she joined the band after that.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Is it true that this album took four years to make?

Uze: We started the project a few years ago as a hobby. We're all busy with our day jobs, so we could only work on the album once a week. Sometimes we had to go a month without working on it.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Did you set up your Colorcode record label specifically to release Slow Reverse?

Uze: We created Colorcode because we wanted to have total creative control over our music, artwork and packaging. We also didn't think that any label would be interested in signing us. [Laughs.]

We've now signed three other bands to the label, and their albums should be coming out next year.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Did you decide from the beginning that you wanted a female singer for Slow Reverse?

Uze: I originally tried singing these songs myself, but it didn't work. [Laughs.] I think that female vocals suit my music a lot better.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Is there a particular reason why all your lyrics are in English?

Uze: I prefer English to Thai lyrics. I think it sounds more natural for this type of music.
Oil: Most of the lyrics aren't about anything in particular. I just tried to write surreal, dreamlike words that go well with Uze's music.

STUDENT WEEKLY: How did you choose "Moving" to be the first single from the album?

Oil: We picked "Moving" because it's a good pop song. It's a bit more accessible than the other tracks on the record. "Moving" is also a good song to represent the overall sound and mood of the album.
Uze: It's about a person who keeps changing lovers and moving on.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Uze, you spent a few years working as a session musician with the band Death of a Salesman. Did playing with them influence your current music?

Uze: No, I don't think so. I played bass for Death of a Salesman, but I didn't contribute to their songwriting at all.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Who are some of your favourite artists?

Uze: I like electronic groups like Cornelius and M?m.
Oil: I really like Japanese singer-songwriter Kahimi Karie.
Pang: I can enjoy any kind of music, especially anything upbeat!

	contender (n): a person or thing that takes part in a competition or tries to win something rave review (n): an article in a newspaper or magazine that is very enthusiastic about a particular movie, book, album, etc. dreamy (adj): pleasant and gentle; that makes you feel relaxed day job (n): the paid work that somebody normally does specifically (adv): connected with or intended for one particular thing only surreal (adj): more like a dream than reality, with ideas and images mixed together in a strange way dreamlike (adj): as if existing or happening in a dream accessible (adj): easy to understand represent (v): to be an example or expression of something current (adj): happening now; of the present time