On ‘Mordechai’, hints of music from around the globe underline the album’s groove-laden environment. Weaving Indian folk music, Jamaican dub, Congolese syncopated guitars with reference points to the South Asian musical innovation from the ‘70s and ‘80s, the trio have made an album still very much rooted in the city they call home. With a whirlwind of success elevating the band to greater heights, you might expect a rushed third album – but Khruangbin neatly surprises with ‘Mordechai’. Underscored with memories and love for Houston, a city that shaped the trio, ‘Mordechai’ is the album on which they allow us further into their mysterious world. Given the band’s range and combination of musical influences, what is the group’s songwriting process like? The album truly has a universal feel to it as it is not grounded to any particular time period or style. Guitarist Mark Speer and drummer Donald Johnson played gospel music together in Houston before incorporating bassist Laura Lee into the fold. As a trio, the band continued to search out interestingly good music, and they fell in love with the musings of Thai-funk from the 1960s and 1970s. Thai-funk by the way of Houston gospel is certainly a psychedelic concoction, but you can hear how well the band has blended those two influences together on the serene closer “Zionsville” or “Two Fish and an Elephant,” which breezes by with the calm of the ocean at sunset. That sense of home remains more important than ever for Khruangbin, as bassist Laura Lee recently relocated to London while guitarist Mark Speer and drummer Donald Johnson remain in Houston.

No wonder Khruangbin, who make psychedelic music that travels between eras and continents, have become low-key stars in the past decade. Guitarist Mark Speer and drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson played in a gospel band together at St. John’s United Methodist Church in downtown Houston – the same church that Beyoncé, Solange and the rest of the Knowles family frequent. Dearest Alfred’ brings to life Lee’s grandfather’s heartbreaking words to his twin brother (“ Can you imagine my joy / I received / Your wonderful letter”) while ‘So We Won’t Forget’ is a cry for the memory of love. ‘If There Is No Question’ sees Lee hypnotically repeat “You’re Not Crazy” over a captivating gospel beat, the kind performed by Speer and Johnson in church. The album’s irresistible closer, ‘Shida’, brings to mind British soul group Sade, with slight vocal sighs gently placed within the grooves of an alluring guitar-centric melody. Khruangbin have continually pointed towards the explosion of funk music that came out of Thailand in the ‘60s and ‘70s as a major source of inspiration; their most recent EP, History of Flight, was a collection of covers featuring some of their favorite Thai musicians. Yet while Mark Speer’s mercurial guitar tones bear a strong resemblance to albums by Thai forbearers like Dao Bandon and The Impossible, particularly on album opener “Mr. White” and the minor-key lurch of “Balls and Pins,” Khruangbin are interested in much more than simply paying homage. But reducing this music as combination of gospel and Thai-funk is a disservice to the elegant creativeness of this band. This music really is its own unique, vivid world and its meditative undertone allows one to really let go and explore where the music can take you. “Mr. White” sets a perfect tone for the album as you’re tethered to the Earth on Johnson and Lee’s hushed but direct rhythm while you float along in the atmosphere to Speer’s warm, buzzed tones. “Little Joe and Mary” is tender and innocent, Speer’s high-whistling flourishes on his guitar playing with Lee’s bubbling bass line.The Universe Smiles Upon You” has that rare quality of being able to be played in a loop without it growing old. It just spins with the tranquility of Earth in the quiet vastness of outer space as time becomes indefinite and we become connected to the farthest reaches of universe. It is impossible to hang that art neatly in frame in your house, so you gotta go out and experience it for yourself.

Is the sound on Universe what the group strived for from the outset, or is it something that developed over time? How has that evolved? Neither Mark nor I wanted to be a "singer" in the traditional sense, so we thought that we’d sing collectively to create a more psychedelic sound, and it seems fitting as we write the lyrics together. It feels right to sing together, and we’re really fond of the result.

Companies, etc.

How and why did the band decide to start incorporating vocals? Why weren’t they a part of your music initially? The seeds of Khruangbin were sown when Mark and Laura were invited to tour with Ninja Tune's YPPAH supporting Bonobo across his 2010 American tour. The tour galvanised the two of them to start making music together more seriously, with DJ - he and Mark have played in the same gospel band for years - the natural choice for drums. Chemistry feels especially important to the success of your music. How does the band maintain that, now that you live in different places? And just how a painting can give you a glimpse into the fabulous world of the artist, music can provide a little snapshot of the world of the musicians who made it. You listen to an album and it this place the musicians have created and it calls to you from behind the speakers. But, it is usually merely a window to those delightful places, something you can see and hear but you can’t experience it.