Siamese Twins Records
Chang and Eng, born in 1811 in Siam (nowadays Thailand), were the first documented conjoined twin brothers. Their fame propelled the expression “Siamese Twins” to become synonymous for conjoined twins in general. Paying homage to this aspect, it is also a record label based in Thailand run by Sunju, Johan, and Taychin from Karma Klique, with Yoshi from 禁 JIN Records. A home for authentic, tribally rooted sounds introducing Asian artists and creating symbiotic dialogues with producers around the globe.
Two heads, one path, one pace.
Mogambo EP
The Debut “Cobra EP” comes from a new production project “Mogambo” a collaborative brainchild of Sunju Hargun and multi-instrumentalist Jerom Doudet. Both located in Thailand and bounded by a shared love of acid electronica, Bollywood movies and big psychedelic gongs.
Delving deep into a highly personal and unique sound cosmos this album covers a wide range of sound textures. Featuring trippy jungle grooves, mesmerizing tribal percussion, countless eccentric effect pedals and hints to 90’s Goa. The EP ranges from spacey Asian soundscapes, sweaty basement afterhours journeys to slow burning hypnotizing grooves slithering as a Cobra.
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जीना (Jeena) - A cinematic mesmerizing ambient track. Organic synth lines grow and layer over a Thai vocal slowly dripping in. Gongs stretched into a hazy morning.
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Dishoom (है) - Straight up, tribalizing and club ready business. A trippy jungle groove with hints to the golden Goa era. Classic Bollywood movies often used the sound “Dishoom” as an effect to fire a gun shot.
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Matum (राजा) - Moody and eccentric groove with a hypnotizing twist for the wee hours. Mysteriously tapping the brain into a wide range of protonic sound textures.
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कोबरा (Cobra) - Slow burning with hard hitting snares whipping their way through chuggy subs. Warm, organic but powerful like a steam locomotive transmitting motion.
Recorded and mixed by Sunju Hargun and Jerom Doudet
in the city of Bangkok and islands of Koh Chang
August - December 2019.
Mastered by Marcoantonio Spaventi at Maspaventi Studio
February 2020
Exclusive Distribution by Bordello A Parigi
Designed by Taychin Dunnvatanachit
Music Video by Johan Vandebeek
The Story
Mogambo is the collaborative brainchild of electronic music producer Sunju Hargun and multi-instrumentalist Jerome Doudet. Both located in Thailand and bonded by a shared love of psychedelic gongs, acid electronica and Goa.
Sunju Hargun is of multi-cultural upbringing – born and raised in Thailand but drawing on Indian and Japanese roots. The mixture of different backgrounds has led him to create a layered web of unique sounds which takes heavy influence from the mood of 90s raw house and tripped-out trance, deep breaks and extraterrestrial tribalism. He’s been part of the regional music scene for over 15 years, touring heavy across Asia Pacific and releasing music on various outputs.
“I started off as a clubber while I was living in Manila during the late 90’s, going to raves and club nights. During my late teenage years in Shanghai, I spent countless weekends at this club called ‘DKD’ which was the temple of underground electronic music. The local selectors of the city were the reason I became a DJ and produced music.”
When he relocated to Bangkok, Sunju got intrigued by a local produced ambient/drone album at the local record store.
“I was fascinated by the mystic sounds and the Thai typography, whereas the producer did not seem to be local. When I reached out, I instantly connected with Jerome.”
He was a prominent figure in Geneva’s experimental music scene and was a member of Knut, a global touring Math Rock, Noise band. A very skilled bass player in several outlets in the 90s and early 2000s such as Half Japanese (USA), Imericani (SP/IT/CH), Bionic (CA), the experimental kraut band Bliscappen Van Maria, and on his tantric bass solo project Yantra Mandir. His electronic alias is “The Dude Of Stratosphear'' incorporating Asian instrumentation and chanting which he releases on his own imprint Sphearic Records. As a multi-instrumentalist and renowned record collector, Jerome has been travelling all over Asia from the early 90s leading to many collaborations with local musicians. He permanently settled himself in Bangkok in 2014.
Connected and both stationed in Thailand, they soon became part of the same music community and the seeds of collaboration began to take root. What began as a temporary creative project soon resulted in a full EP. The name Mogambo derives from the Villain character in the famous 80’s bollywood cult movie Mr. India, a brilliant yet insane retired Army General whose goal is to conquer India. The general’s quote "Mogambo khush hua" ("Mogambo is pleased"), is one of the most famous quotes of Bollywood.
“The name came at a time when the collaboration felt right and we both needed a fresh outlet to go crazy and not take things too seriously but just have fun at it. One of the many things that brought out this project closer was the interest and love in Indian Culture.”
Sunju as such embracing his Indian heritage and Jerome paying homage to the country that inspired him to relocate.
“In the early 90s I travelled through India a lot, since then many aspects of that culture have been mixed with my own. I think this album is a reflection of that major influence.”