Prior to my trip, Chantelle 'the boss' Fiddy had been asking me what the music scene was like in Thailand and if there were any ‘underground’ scenes or quality amateur music nights. I shamefully admitted that I didn't know.

The truth is that I have been here a year and after many nights out in a variety of dances, I have danced to nothing but the usual R&B and hip-hop club bangers and the occasional bit of Lady Gaga.

Most of the Thai music I have come across falls into one of three categories. Slow cheesy jams sung by attractive skin-bleached superstars, rock-style guitar ballads or alternatively - my favourite style - the serene, elegant and beautiful sounds of Isaan music from the north east. Most young Thai's I have met listen to a mixture of slow Thai jams, Westlife, general Western love songs and Akon.

 
Two nights into my Udon adventure, my ignorance was finally shattered.

I stumbled on something quite remarkable that threw into the mix a whole new category of music far cooler than anything I had heard here before.

Dragged out again by my disco loving travel buddy, we were struggling to find a decent nightspot. Eventually we found a club where, surprisingly, the only drinks being served were soda water and coke. "How rubbish" I hear you mumble, but on the contrary, in this gaff, you bring your own booze. Every person who walks through the door comes equipped with a bottle of whisky, and guess what, entry is free. We duly dashed across the road for a bottle of Red Johnnie Walker and scarpered back inside to take up our place as the only foreigners in the village.

What followed was an onslaught of music that I would describe as Ska Reggae-Skankabilly-Rock Swing (remember who coined the genre first), entwined with northern Thai melodies and seemingly comical vocals.

The Thai Ska was upbeat and fast, the rhythm sections could be likened to those heard in The Specials' Too Much Too Young or Madness's Baggy Trousers tracks. Add some Thai melodies and vocals to the mix and that will give you some idea of the vibe that was ripping this discothèque to shreds. We could not believe our ears, let alone our feet, that were by now moving as if we were regulars. We didn't need to understand the lyrics, as the fast beats, swinging rhythms and tempo changes took complete charge of our enjoyment. After a few chuckles and stares, the locals seemed to really dig that we were appreciating their music. Some of the crowd didn't even notice us, they were too busy jigging from one foot to another in a style reminiscent to my late 90s jungle raving days.

Words: Alfred James. Alfred is a freelance writer, web marketer and Life Coach, based between Bangkok and London.