Animist

30/11/2025

Yang Farang Dub performed live by Apichat Pakwan in Thailand & Vietnam 2025.

Released in 2017 by Animist Records on 10" vinyl and digital versions.

Only the 10" contains 6 infinite loops for turntablism & meditative purposes.

Listen/buy on animist.nl or Bandcamp.

“Sick” - Falty DL (USA)
“Love it. Full support” – Trippin’ Jaguar (Netherlands)
"Top quality" - DJ Paul T (Potato Head, Bali)
“Really like the way they make Thai traditional instrumentals sound so new! The phin and the kaen sound are soooo dope” – DJ Panna a.k.a. Olympic Digger (Thailand)
"This is excellent" - Tim 'Love' Lee (USA)
“Oh my, right in feelings. I love it!” - Ponty Mython (Lithuania)

Video material recorded at Arunsweed & Muan (Bangkok) & Hanoi Social Club & Tadioto (Hanoi).

24/11/2025

🌧️ Hold on, after rain comes sunshine 🌥️

📸1: Luang Prabang, Laos
📸2: A dog rescues a small cat family after flooding in Thailand

22/11/2025

Meeting the Akha Omah tribe in Northern Laos.

The Akha people have their origins in Mongolia before moving to Szechuan and Yunnan provinces in China. In the mid 19th century they migrated to the Golden Triangle (border area of Thailand, Laos & Burma). They are originally animistic, but were in parts converted to Christianity by, in our view irresponsible and intruding, Westerners. Before that the Akha lacked many things, but a rich spiritual life wasn't one of them.
In Northern Laos some traditional living Akha can still be found.

The Akha culture can be characterized by their desire for continuity.

Songs have always been central in Akha culture. Furthermore their music is played with a variety of wind, string and percussion instruments. Music embodies their tradition, culture and history. Every facet of life is recounted in music, harvest, hunt, phases of life and seasons. Bronze gong and cymbals are used to call spirits during festivals. During courting, soft and melodious bamboo flutes are played. 

📸 Phongsaly, Laos 2012

21/11/2025

💥🤩🥳
Apichat Pakwan on BKS 2026
See you in June!

27 new acts and daily lineups announced for Best Kept Secret 2026!

And there’s more good news — day tickets for BKS26 go on sale Thursday, 27 November at 11:00! Join us on 12, 13, or 14 June if you can’t make it for the full weekend.

JUST ANNOUNCED (a-z):
Aldous Harding, Ão, Apichat Pakwan, BCUC, Croíthe, Curtis Harding, Dame Area, Genesis Owusu, GHOSTWOMAN, Grote Geelstaart, Hayley Williams, Jungle by Night, Leoniden, mark william lewis, MEROL, Midrift, Militarie Gun, Model/Actriz, Nation of Language, NewDad, Parker Fans, Shady Nasty, Sharon van Etten & The Attachment Theory, Sorry, The Zawose Queens, Weval (live), Yard Act

Pre-register now to get early access via bestkeptsecret.nl/pre-register to day ticket sales and get a head start. After registering, you get a 2-hour advantage to purchase your tickets, starting at 9:00 on Thursday, 27 November.

More than 60 acts are still to be announced for BKS26! Find all acts we have confirmed so far on our website or in the renewed BKS26 app. www.bestkeptsecret.nl/program

Best Kept Secret 2026 — 12, 13 & 14 June

20/11/2025

Original Isan-Thai 7" featuring two great songs with stylish '70's production for sale 📀✨

On Side A we find 'Love On First Sight' by Sanya Phonnarai (สัญญา พรนารายณ์), produced by Thongchai Lekkampol (ธงชัย เล็กกำพล).
A fun midtempo lovesong in Isan (Northeast Thai) lukthung style from Sanya, who was a famous singer for many decades.

Side B contains the song 'This Is How I Am' by Nam Oi Phonwichian (น้ำอ้อย พรวิเชียร) from Petchabun district in Isan (Northeast Thailand).

This 7" is in very good condition, bus has some crackles throughout. Listen to the audio example for an impression of the actual copy for sale.

14/11/2025

The central Buddhist temple in Renu Nakhon - the place in Esan (Northeast Thailand) where one of the most refined compositions of the Phu Thai people originates: Renu Phu Thai.

Apichat Pakwan recorded an overdub of this piece for their debut album 'Esantronics', which was released in 2019 on Animist Records

10/11/2025

Wedding of the animistic Kháng tribe, a subgroup of the Xinh Mun people in Yen Châu, Vietnam.

The Ksingmul (Vietnamese: Xinh Mun), also known as Con Pua, Puộc, and Pụa, are an ethnic group in Vietnam and Laos. In Vietnam, they live primarily in the northwest, in the provinces of Sơn La and Lai Châu. The group numbers approximately 29,500 people and its language is in the Khmuic languages group of the Mon–Khmer language family.

Ancestor worship is one of the animistic beliefs of the Xinh Mun. The symbol for the place of ancestor worship is a pig's jawbone, a little betel nut on the lid of a rice basket, and a bamboo tube containing water. Ancestor worship, depending on the place, can be done by only the eldest brother, or it can also be done by other brothers. The wife's parents are worshipped separately in a small shack, next to the house.

The music of the Kháng tribe in Vietnam features traditional folk songs, folk dances, and musical instruments like the Hưn Mạy. This instrument is indispensable for the Kháng people and plays a vital role in their festivals and rituals.

On our YouTube channel you can find a video with audio recordings of this wedding we attended in 2012.

07/11/2025

🎧 Apichat Pakwan - Nam Ton Tad (Hidden Dub)

Exclusive available as hidden bonus track when you purchase the Nam Ton Tad EP on Bandcamp

05/11/2025

🎧 Apichat Pakwan - Lam Plern Kok Khaa Khao (live at Lasalle, Singapore)

Available on our 6th release 'Esantronics', the debut album of Dutch-Thai collective

02/11/2025

📸 Hoi An, Vietnam
🎧 Trống cơm (hát Chèo

31/10/2025

Molam at the Faculty of Education, KKU 2017

29/10/2025

Two deep Thai soulful songs on original Thai pressed 7" for sale 📀

Side A: Wirot Petchmuangkan (วิโรจน์ เพชรเมืองกาญจน์) - San Ku (สั้นจู๋)

Side B: Rungthip Malaithong (รุ่งทิพย์ มาลัยทอง) - I'm Afraid I Can't Help You (กลัวช่วยไม่ไหว)

In excellent condition. More info & audio on our website animist.nl