I discovered Khruangbin when I shared their WeTransfer x Gilles Peterson session on No Treble in 2018. I was instantly hooked. There was something different about this band, and by 2022, I’d collected everything they’d released on vinyl.
Their collaboration with Leon Bridges introduced me to another voice. I wasn’t familiar with his music when Texas Sun arrived in 2020, but I was immediately drawn to their combined sound.
From Texas Sun to the More Subdued Texas Moon
Khruangbin and Bridges returned with the five-track Texas Moon in 2022. To my ears, it offers a more subdued sound than Texas Sun. In the label’s release notes, Bridges calls it “more introspective,” while bassist Laura Lee says it “feels more night time.”
Both EPs take their names from the musicians’ home state. But what interests me most is how naturally they work together, creating something that feels like its own group.
Laura Lee describes that shared identity in the same release notes:
“It’s not Khruangbin, it’s not Leon, it’s this world we created together.”
I’d happily spend more time in that world.
Laura Lee’s Bass Line Draws Me Into “Mariella”
I’m hard-pressed to pick a favorite among these five tracks, but “Mariella” sounds so good spinning on my turntable. As a bassist, I was drawn to Laura Lee’s impeccable line.
I looked up whether she’d said anything about it. In the same release notes, she describes initially feeling intimidated about fitting her melodic playing around Bridges’ voice. On “Mariella,” she found more confidence: “My bass line on ‘Mariella’ feels so much more like me, and it’s my favorite contribution to this process.”
The track blends Country & Western and R&B in such a fantastic way. The sliding guitar lines on top add to that night-time feel. Everything works together.
Listen to Texas Sun and then Texas Moon. They’re a perfect pair, almost like flipping a vinyl record and moving from one mood to the next.
