Back in the early ‘90s, I spent my summer vacations from school raving at Club Deeper on Soi Silom 4. I had stumbled into this place completely by accident and it was there that I fell in love with electronic music.
In those days the scene in Thailand was mainly underground. Imagine a world without cellphones or the internet and the only way to promote a gig was by calling your friends on a landline to tell them about it. Which is why parties were small, but the plus side was that everybody came to enjoy the music and the vibes. Nobody gave a fuck about image and no one was there to pose.
Event-wise you could expect the best DJs and bands in a lot of the city’s clubs with a strictly electronic music policy each and every weekend. The lineups back then consisted of only local DJs. Tee Deeper and Mikey were the residents, and those two were the superstar DJs of that time.
Kritsada Vadeesirisak, aka DJ King Kong, is spearheading Thailand’s new generation of DJs and producers. The founder of electronic drum ‘n’ bass act Animal Machine, King Kong is an influential musician inspired by our kingdom’s humble electronic beginnings.
This talented mofo and all-around nice dude always goes against the grain to keep the vibe fresh. As an active player in Thailand’s music scene, King Kong’s name is known from the street to the studio.
He’s also the mastermind behind Tempo, the kingdom’s premier underground beats festival showcasing Thailand’s best electronic bands and DJs each year.
I met up with King Kong and had a chance to chat with him on how he started out as an artist on the RS Promotions roster, being the son of a record producer and slanging his own brand of dope beats on his label Zoo Records.
MT: What got you interested in electronic dance music and drum ‘n’ bass?
KK: I was studying in university and working with RS at the time. I was really into the nu metal scene, but once that scene died off I started listening to other music genres for inspiration. The early Café del Mar compilations were what really drew my attention to electronic music, but it was when I discovered the music of 4hero that I got hooked on drum ‘n’ bass.
MT: You’ve become a very well respected DJ in the Thai beats scene and have also headlined numerous festivals and raves. How did you get your start as a DJ?
KK: In 2004, I wrote a thesis on electronic music. In order to write about the topic I researched clubs that played electronic music in Bangkok. I checked out Bangkok Bar and Café Democ. I went to numerous nights at those clubs after which I eventually made the decision to buy some tracks on vinyl after being inspired by checking out all the DJs. I kept on practicing and after a while I wanted to show my friends what I had learned. So my first gig was at my house when I invited my friends to come over and have a few beers.
MT: You got your start in the music industry as being part of an indie rock band that was signed to RS promotion. How do you feel about the experience from working at one of Thailand’s most influential record labels?
KK: I was very young when I got my first recording contract with RS promotion. Our band got the recording contract after I won the Hot Wave band competition. From that, RS Promotions wanted to sign my band to their label. I learned a lot about the Thai music industry from working there, and my experience was both bad and good. The good part was that I learned how to work in a professional recording studio. The bad thing was that because RS is a commercial record label I did not have the creative freedom I wanted. That is why I decided to become part of the electronic underground scene.
MT: Animal Machine was the first Thai electronic Drum ‘n’ bass band. How did you guys meet and how do you get the ideas for your music?
KK: In 2009 I started Animal Machine. We started out as an alternative rock band. But when my friend and band member Note came back from America he was really into the electronic sound. So we tried playing drum ‘n’ bass music live. Since then Animal Machine have released many tracks on our label.
MT: Electronic music in Southeast Asia and especially Thailand is still not as big compared to Europe or America. What is your opinion on our very own scene?
KK: I think producers and DJs in Thailand are just as talented as our peers in Europe and America. The only downside is that we have a very small scene. There are plenty of talented producers in Thailand but many new producers are getting into EDM because it has a bigger audience and market.
MT: Do you think it’s difficult for Thai artists to make it big in the international electronic scene?
KK: For now, yes. But in the future things will get better.
MT: Vinyl used to be the only medium that DJs played their music with but now the trend has switched over to MP3 downloads. Beatport is the best online store to buy underground electronic dance music. How do you feel about being one of the very first Thai artists to have your tunes sold there?
KK: I remember that day when my track was sold on Beatport. I was so excited. I showed my mom and all my friends the link to the track all week.
MT: Tell us about your current release on Beatport?
KK: My latest release is called “Pluck It.” I made it during the Songkran holidays. It’s bass house with a touch of breakbeat. Go check it out, you’ll love it!
Mongkorn ‘Dragon’ Timkul has been a Bangkok DJ since the late 1990s. Mongkorn is the pioneer of drum ‘n’ bass music in Bangkok, co-founding Homebass Communications and Dubway.
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