Highly acclaimed Isan singer and songwriter Rasmee Wayrana has teamed up with New Orleans born & raised jazz singer and producer, Sasha Masakowski, to create a full length album of original music, coining the term “Electro Isan Soul.”

The two female artists met in 2019 when they co-billed a festival in Chiang Mai, Sasha performing with her solo synth pop project Tra$h Magnolia and Rasmee with her full band, Rasmee Isan Soul.
They met again in 2021 and decided to perform together in Koh Phangan, at Siam Healing Center. What began as a small, intimate duo concert fuelled the inspiration to record an album amidst a growing Coronavirus pandemic in Thailand in mid-2021.
“We thought, why not try and make something beautiful out of this chaotic time period- let’s try to maintain our role in this world as artists, as ones who can find art in any situation,” said Sasha.

They began writing, sending ideas back and forth through email, Sasha creating a bed of sounds with synths and electronic drums, and Rasmee adding her soulful vocals and lyrics. They asked renowned multi-instrumentalist from Ubonrachathani, Warong (Yodh) Boonaree, to join their team, adding traditional Isan instruments Khaen and Phin to the rich soundscape they were creating. After several months of developing ideas into fully-formed songs, they booked 3 days at the legendary Studio 28 in Bangkok to complete the album, working with one of Thailand’s top mixing engineers, Henry Watkins.

“There were obstacles from the very beginning,” says Rasmee. “The day before our recording session the government announced new lockdowns across the country. Bangkok was labeled a red zone due to the high covid outbreak, and all non-essential businesses were ordered to close down. There was a massive fire at a foam factory just several kilometers from Studio 28, parts of the city were still deemed a disaster zone from the fire. We didn’t know if we would be able to record, but we knew this was our only chance, it was now or never.”

In two days at Studio 28 they recorded all of Rasmee’s vocals, as well as Yodh’s Phin and Khaen parts. The next few weeks Sasha and Henry worked closely together to mix the full album, and Chotika Wattanajung created the conceptual style and artwork for the album.

They decided to name the album Thong-Lor Cowboy, based on one of the songs written by Sasha and Rasmee. “I wrote this song that had a very laid back, nostalgic and lustful feel to it. I imagined it being about an American cowboy riding off into the desert sunset on horseback, with a coolness and confidence that radiates as far as the sky,” says Sasha.

Rasmee took the song and concept and turned it perfectly into a flirtatious song about the “cowboys of Bangkok:” motorcycle taxi drivers.
“Since birth, I have never seen a cowboy in my life, so it's hard to write a song about American cowboys. So what is my take on Thai cowboy style? Cowboys are seen in every street in Bangkok. A cowboy who is like a fast horse, allowing people to live and roam free.” added Rasmee.

Those powerful feelings of freedom, lust, roaming, nature, love, greed and heartbreak are all captured in this 10-track album.

Together Rasmee, Yodh and Sasha fused Isan music with Western jazz, R&B and soul, seamlessly blending cultures of New Orleans and Ubonrachathani, the Mississippi River meeting the Ubon’s Moon River. Ancient sounds and traditions from Morlam together with modern grooves, electronic instruments. A perfectly timeless work of art and the first ever of its kind, “Electro Isan Soul'' will be sure to unite audiences and music lovers together, all across the world.

THONG-LOR COWBOY
By Rasmee Wayrana
Produced by Sasha Masakowski
Co-produced by Warong (Yodh) Boonaree

Track order:
1. Indigo (3:02)
2. How Don Ta (4:43)
3. Thong-Lor Cowboy (6:43)
4. Chomsuan (5:03)
5. Only You (3:57)
6. I wanna Love You (4:58)
7. Lam Duan (5:13)
8. Maya 2 (3:18)
9. Lullaby (4:22)
10. Beauty of Loneliness (5:31)

Rasmee Wayrana - lead vocals, lyrics (all songs)
Sasha Masakowski - synthesizer, drum programming (tracks 1-10), background vocals (tracks 3,4,9)
Warong Boonaree - pin (tracks 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10), khaen (tracks 2, 4, 5)
Martin Masakowski - bass (tracks 2, 3, 6, 8, 9), strings (tracks 2, 8, 9)
Andrew McGowan - rhodes, wurlitzer (tracks 3, 6), piano (track 6)
Steve Masakowski - guitar (track 7)
Dario Wayrana - baby sounds (track 9)

Recording & Mixing & Mastering: Henry Watkins
Recorded at Studio28 Recording www.facebook.com/studio28bkk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Special Thanks to:
MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum www.facebook.com/MAIIAMchiangmai
Maielie Khonkaen www.facebook.com/MAIELIEkhonkaen
Studio28 Recording
Chotika Watanajung: Art Director 

​​