Music Sound

Mor lam sing (Thai/Isan หมอลำซิ่ง) is a fast-paced, racy, modernized version of the traditional Lao/Isan song form mor lam. Sing comes from the English word "racing" (a reference to the music's speed and its origins among Isan's biker fraternity). A lead singer is accompanied by the khaen, a bamboo mouth organ, Western drums and electric keyboards and bass. The style was invented in Chaiyaphum province around 1985, and was popularised over the next few years after it was taken up by Ratdri Sivilai in Khon Kaen. It is based on the Khon Kaen style of lam tang san, but it incorporates string instrumentation, luk thung singing styles and extensive use of the Central Thai language rather than Isan.

The songs are generally about disappointment in love or the hardships of life away from the Northeast of Thailand. Sexual innuendo is prominent, and feature young, fancifully dressed female dancers, called "hang khreuang".

Among the most popular mor lam sing artists are the groups Rock Salaeng and Rock Sadert.

Audio sample

• Media:123laentambao.ogg - Audio sample (Ogg format) from 1.2.3. Laen Tam Bao by Rock Sadert

Reference

Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, p. 327.

External links

• khaen