Saigon Supersound Continues... to present more interesting tunes of a musical era that has long been obscured. With the well - received Volume 1, we are very delighted to dig deeper and share with you the beautiful music of a short but significant period in Vietnam‘s history.
Much like the country itself, the music of Vietnam has endured many twists. As the result of the Geneva Accords in 1954, Vietnam was divided into two. From the North, the Nationalist forces fought to reunite Vietnam as a Communist State, while the American troops backed the government of the South. This caused a mass migration of Northerners to the South, which includes many Tân Nhạc (Modern Music) singers and songwriters. Often characterized by its emotive, poetic and prolific personality, Tân Nhạc continued to freely develop in the South and progressively vacating from the influences of its main inspiration, French music. In the North, the Resistance music, or the so-called Nhạc Đỏ (Red Music), which promoted socialism, patriotism and anti-capitalism was the only genre allowed on national radio. Tân Nhạc was something new to the South Vietnamese repertoire. Between 1954–1960, the theme of hometown (quê hương) was a main inspiration for many songwriters such as Hoàng Thi Thơ, Lam Phương and Nguyễ n Hữu Thiết. The 9th title of the compilation, “Thôn Trăng Mở Hội Trăng Tròn” showcases a variety of images that were often described in this genre: the harvest moon, playful children, old mother...
Every recording made in this era is then an organic combination of human experiences, communications and uniqueness. In 1965, the first American troop landed in Vietnam, bringing with them the musical influences of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley... The Vietnamese people quickly integrated it into the repertoire with hope to further diversify the music of Vietnam. Constantly changing and learning from different cultures, the modern music of Vietnam cuts a window into the soul of a Vietnamese person and the country’s history as a whole. With that, we hope that Saigon Supersound Volume 2 would take you on a trip back to the unique atmosphere of Saigon through the many different palettes of music that this beautiful place offers.

Rắn Cạp Đuôi - Ngủ Ngày Ngay Ngày Tận Thế
“sleeping through the apocalypse”
[Subtext Recordings - SUB039]
Based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Rắn Cạp Đuôi have been challenging their city's perception of sound art and musical experimentation since 2015, when they were all just 16 years old.Made up of multi-instrumentalist and composer Phạm Thế Vũ, bassist and producer jung buffalo (aka Đỗ Tấn Sĩ) and multi-instrumentalist and producer Zach Sch,RCĐwrite and perform music that's experimental not for experimentation's sake, but because they're thirsty for fresh combinations of sounds and techniques.
The trio's debut "Ngủ Ngày Ngay Ngày Tận Thế" is a surreal and psychedelic thrill-ride through Vietnamese traditions and culture; co-produced by Berlin's Ziúr, it's a firework display of history, genre and complex emotionality that's daubed expressionistically with absurdist humour.
The band wields a breathless energy that's been honed from relentless live performance. Notorious improvisers,they performed at a local gallery for two days without breaks. On "Ngủ Ngày Ngay Ngày Tận Thế", this is routed into a series of interlocking... vignettes that melt layered collages of samples with pop and trap, and unique infusions of traditional music with the raw power of Boredoms, Ecco2k and Otomo Yoshihide.
Reflecting pools of liquid ambience are channelled through beating percussion and alien electronics, while chattering voices twist and turn through scorched digital wreckage.Themes and harmonies fluidly mutate from traditional Vietnamese music forms and into cataclysmic pressurized club.
The album was mostly penned by Zach Sch following the death of his father, but refuses to dwell on darkness, instead offering a multi-faceted celebration of life.
Fleshed out by jung buffalo,Spencer Nguyen, and Phạm Thế Vũ to reflect the kinetic communication of thegroup’s dynamic, the tracks were subsequently reduced to a cinder by Ziúr, who beamed them into the fifth dimension.
"Ngủ Ngày Ngay Ngày Tận Thế " is a vivid, unique record that introduces a powerful new force in experimental music. By raking through the distant past's cultural artifacts and reshaping them with contemporary cybernetics, Rắn Cạp Đuôi’s music plots a course to the far future. more