FAITED, THONGHUAD - DIEW SOR ISAN (CD)

"EM back in Thailand, this time back to 1970s Isan, a hearland of Thailand!! For EM Records' latest foray into unchartered musical territory, we are concentrating on the sor from Thailand, the traditional two-stringed violin that is a mainstay of Isan musical culture. 'Diew Sor Isan: The North East Thai Violin of Thonghuad Faited' focuses on the talents of one of the instruments greatest proponents and brings his key releases together onto one anthology for the first time. Thonghuad comes from the molam tradition, the dominant rural music that hails from Isan, the north east Thai province that borders with Laos and Cambodia. Underpinned by woozy basslines, drones and clattering percussion, his music is characterised by sprightly melodies through to haunting dirges that could come from as far a field as eastern China, or even the Celtic traditions of Ireland." (label info) CD version comes in gatefold cardboard sleeve jacket plus inserts, with english-japanese linernotes. highly recommended