Spirited sounds

Rock trio makes mystical music

By Tatat Bunnag
Photos courtesy of Chladni Chandi

After five years of playing together, the uniquely named Chladni Chandi are all set to rock the Thai music scene with their debut album, soon to be released by local indie label Panda Records.

The three members of Chladni Chandi — 28-year-old singer and guitarist Chawalit Saowapakpongchai (Yong), 28-year-old bassist Sompop Suwanwattanakul (Ben) and 31-year-old drummer Thanawut Sriwattanah (Meng) — share a love of classic blues rock from the 1970s and psychedelic sounds from the ‘60s.

Chladni Chandi are also known for their interest in traditional Indian music and culture, as can be seen in the video for their debut single, “Karma Loga,” which features the distinctive sounds of the sitar and tambura.

After impressing the audience at the recent Happening magazine party, Chladni Chandi are getting ready to rock again as the opening band for English pop group Summer Camp when they perform in Bangkok on May 12.

Student Weekly recently caught up with band leader Yong find out more about Chladni Chandi and their upcoming album.

Student Weekly: What does the name Chladni Chandi mean?

Yong: It’s a combination of two names that I think sound good together. Ernst Chladni was a German physicist and musician whose work I studied. Chandi is the name of the supreme Hindu Goddess, Chandi Devi.

Student Weekly: Can you give us some background information about the band?

Yong: We formed back in 2007 to play as the house band at a popular pub on Mahannop Road called Lullabar. We mostly played cover songs by indie bands like The Strokes and Kings of Leon. After a while we started developing our own sound and writing our own original songs.

Student Weekly: How did you become interested in Indian philosophy and music?

Yong: I guess it was because I grew up in a very religious Chinese family. I’ve been exposed to religious beliefs and mysticism my whole life. I also researched more about Buddhist and Hindu beliefs when I grew up.

Musically, The Beatles had a big influence on me because they were the first rock group to use Indian musical instruments in their music.

Student Weekly: Can you tell us about your single, “Karma Loga”?

Yong: It's a groovy rock song with a psychedelic sound. The lyrics are about confusion and the cycle of birth and death. The video for the song was directed by my friend Tokin Teekanun.

Student Weekly: How would you describe Chladni Chandi's live shows?

Yong: Our live performances are different every time we play. It depends on the venue and the occasion. We used to use many different instruments and jam onstage a lot, but now we try to keep it as a trio of guitar, bass and drums when we play at parties. We don’t want the audience to get bored and fall asleep when we play! [Laughs.]

Student Weekly: What’s next for Chladni Chandi?

Yong: We’re about to release our second single, called “Phroma.” Our debut album should also be coming out soon. We’ve already finished all the recording and mixing, so we’re just waiting for the artwork and packaging to be ready. We also plan to release the album on vinyl record.