Poised for stardom? Eight up-and-coming Thai musical acts to keep an eye on

Bangkok’s music scene has its ups and downs. Music consumption is high, but the indie industry has never been able to stabilize itself, or breach the mainstream. Most of the indie bands who have made it somehow fall into the same soundscape as the big label bands -- but with better haircuts and dress sense. 

Underground music is supposed to rejuvenate and push the industry forward, but so far it has proven futile here in Thailand. A lot of indie music these days is mundane, easy-listening pop or comes from small rock bands who try to pass themselves off as indie simply because they’re not signed to big labels. Others are just too wrapped up with their own weirdness to produce accessibly intelligent sounds that cut across different genres. 

We’re still waiting for the next Moderndog, Goose or Futon. But in the meantime, these eight up-and-coming acts are showing some promise. 

The Papers

Radiohead has inspired countless numbers of supposedly avant garde bands in Thailand, most of which are not worth mentioning. But they would likely be proud of The Papers. Fronted by Chet Chetchotisak, son of RS Promotions' big boss, The Papers doesn’t ride on big budgets nor the available media machine under daddy’s helm. Instead they choose to produce philosophical songs that warm our hearts and confuse our heads. With lyrics written mostly in English, The Papers could quite possibly go international with a bit of determination. 

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