«Thai music hasn't had much exposure on the world stage, but on the basis of the excellent Rough Guide to the Music of Thailand compilation, it's only a matter of time before it emerges as a global force. The emphasis here is on the lukthung and morlam styles, which originated in northern Thailand, illustrated in both traditional and more modern pop forms, but there are also oddities like the

«Compilers Alan Bishop and Mark Gergis (of American bands Sun City Girls and Neung Phak, respectively) use the word "groove" advisedly in the title of their new release. Molam: Thai Country Groove from Isan doesn’t have a single cut that would fit in on a collection of funk dusties, but a great number of these rustic tracks definitely impart head-nodding bliss. The term molam represents a group