A La Sala (transl. "To the Room") is the fourth studio album by American musical trio Khruangbin. It was released on April 5, 2024, through Dead Oceans and Night Time Stories.[1]

A La Sala
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 5, 2024
Length39:31
Label
Producer
Khruangbin chronology
Ali
(2022)
A La Sala
(2024)
Singles from A La Sala
  1. "A Love International"
    Released: January 16, 2024
  2. "May Ninth"
    Released: February 20, 2024
  3. "Pon Pón"
    Released: March 19, 2024

Background

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On the album's title, Laura Lee has said "'A La Sala,' I used to scream it around my house when I was a little girl, to get everybody in the living room; to get my family together. That's kind of what recording the new album felt like. Emotionally there was a desire to get back to square-one between the three of us, to where we came from–in sonics and in feeling."[2]

The album is the band's first without any additional collaborators.[3][4]

Release

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On January 16, 2024, the trio announced the album along with its lead single, "A Love International".[5][6][7][8] The single released alongside a music video directed by Scott Dungate.[9][10][11][12] On January 29, 2024, the trio announced the A La Sala Tour in support of the album.[13][14] Hermanos Gutiérrez, John Carroll Kirby, Peter Cat Recording Co., Men I Trust, and Arooj Aftab are joining the tour as openers.[15] The tour is set to begin on April 14, 2024, in Indio and conclude on October 10, 2024, in New Orleans.[16] On February 20, 2024, the album's second single "May Ninth" was released.[17][18][19][20] An animated music video produced by Nathaniel Murphy, Jenny Lucia Mascia, and Jeremy Higgins was also released.[21][22][23] The album's third single, "Pon Pón", was released on March 19, 2024.[24][25] A music video for "Hold Me Up (Thank You)" was released on April 5, 2024.[26][27]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.4/10[28]
Metacritic76/100[29]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [30]
The Arts Desk     [31]
Exclaim!8/10[32]
Financial Times     [33]
musicOMH     [34]
NME     [35]
The Observer     [36]
Pitchfork7.1/10[37]
The Skinny     [38]
Slant Magazine     [39]
SpinA[40]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, A La Sala received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 from 17 critic scores.[29] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.3 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[28]

Ammar Kalia of The Observer wrote that on the album, "each member displays a subtle mastery of their instrument."[36] Writing for Exclaim!, Oliver Crook wrote that the album was "endlessly rewarding".[32] AllMusic's Paul Simpson described the album as "Khruangbin's most stripped-down effort since their debut."[30] On the album's production, Thomas Smith of NME writes: "Each song is appropriately seasoned with dubby beats, field recordings, hooky guitar riffs and basslines, all distinct enough to pique your attention but never dominating space."[35] Jem Aswad of Variety writes that the album "dial[s] back the vocals and making the grooves and sound even more low-key."[41] Nick Seip of Slant Magazine described the album as "largely a retread of Khruangbin's idiosyncratic brand of dubby psychedelia."[39] Writing for The Skinny, Jamie Wilde's review concludes: "Sunshine in music form, A LA SALA is another stellar addition to Khruangbin's blissful repertoire."[38] Evan Haga of Spin writes "The performances are so good, in fact, you sometimes want to divide them into stems."[40] In his review for The Arts Desk, Joe Muggs writes that the album is "rooted in time and space, in the physicality of the musicians playing the sounds, and in the lines of connection and influence that brought them to this precise moment."[31] In the Financial Times' review, Arwa Haider writes that "Khruangbin effortlessly lock into their mid-tempo grooves, though they also seem reluctant to break out of them."[33]

Year-end lists

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Select year-end rankings for A La Sala
Publication/critic Accolade Rank Ref.
MOJO 75 Best Albums of 2024 66 [42]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Laura Lee, Mark Speer, and DJ Johnson.

A La Sala track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Fifteen Fifty-Three"4:07
2."May Ninth"3:12
3."Ada Jean"3:19
4."Farolim de Felgueiras"2:00
5."Pon Pón"2:58
6."Todavía Viva"4:23
7."Juegos y Nubes"2:04
8."Hold Me Up (Thank You)"3:49
9."Caja de la Sala"1:49
10."Three from Two"3:34
11."A Love International"4:15
12."Les Petits Gris"4:01
Total length:39:31

Personnel

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Khruangbin

Additional contributors

Charts

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Chart performance for A La Sala
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[43] 14
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[44] 28
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[45] 3
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[46] 25
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[47] 29
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[48] 6
French Albums (SNEP)[49] 87
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[50] 2
Irish Albums (IRMA)[51] 80
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[52] 50
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[53] 14
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[54] 16
Scottish Albums (OCC)[55] 7
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[56] 79
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[57] 44
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[58] 7
UK Albums (OCC)[59] 18
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[60] 4
US Billboard 200[61] 38

References

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  1. ^ Brasil, Sydney (January 15, 2024). "Khruangbin Detail New Album A La Sala". Exclaim!. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  2. ^ Topping, Emily (January 31, 2024). "Khruangbin announces two New Orleans tour dates in 2024". GulfLive. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  3. ^ Bloom, Madison (January 16, 2024). "Khruangbin Announce New Album A la Sala, Share Video for New Song: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  4. ^ Carey, Emma (January 16, 2024). "Khruangbin Announce New Album A LA SALA, Unveil Single "A Love International"". Consequence. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  5. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (January 16, 2024). "Khruangbin share blissful single 'A Love International' and announce new album 'A La Sala'". NME. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  6. ^ Pointer, Flisadam (January 16, 2024). "Khruangbin's 'A Love International' Is The First Taste Of A La Sala". Uproxx. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  7. ^ Murray, Robin (January 16, 2024). "Khruangbin Announce New Album 'A LA SALA'". Clash. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  8. ^ Redfern, Mark. "Khruangbin Announce New Album, Share Video for New Song "A Love International"". Under the Radar. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  9. ^ Damara Kelly, Tyler (January 16, 2024). "Khruangbin announce their first album in four years, A LA SALA". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  10. ^ Chelosky, Danielle (January 16, 2024). "Khruangbin Announce New Album 'A LA SALA,' Share "A Love International"". Stereogum. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  11. ^ Darville, Jordan (January 16, 2024). "Khruangbin share "A Love International," announce new album". The Fader. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  12. ^ Pearis, Bill. "Khruangbin announce new album 'A La Sala' – watch "A Love International" video". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  13. ^ Fu, Eddie (January 29, 2024). "Khruangbin Announce 2024 North American Tour". Consequence. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  14. ^ Hatfield, Amanda. "Khruangbin announce tour w/ Men I Trust, Arooj Aftab & more". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  15. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (January 29, 2024). "Khruangbin Are Hitting The Road For A North American Tour In Support Of 'A LA SALA'". Uproxx. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  16. ^ Strauss, Matthew (January 29, 2024). "Khruangbin Announce A la Sala Tour Dates". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  17. ^ Rettig, James (February 20, 2024). "Khruangbin Share New Single "May Ninth": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  18. ^ Hudson, Alex (February 20, 2024). "Khruangbin Set a Chill Mood with "May Ninth"". Exclaim!. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  19. ^ Damara Kelly, Tyler (February 20, 2024). "Khruangbin return with new single, "May Ninth"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  20. ^ Murray, Robin (February 20, 2024). "Khruangbin Share New Single 'May Ninth' | News". Clash. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  21. ^ Ragusa, Paolo (February 20, 2024). "Khruangbin Unveil Dreamy New Track "May Ninth": Stream". Consequence. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  22. ^ Redfern, Mark. "Khruangbin Share Video for New Song "May Ninth"". Under the Radar. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  23. ^ Williams, Aaron (February 20, 2024). "Khruangbin's 'May Ninth' Video Highlights The Connection In All Things". Uproxx. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  24. ^ Damara Kelly, Tyler (March 19, 2024). "Khruangbin invite you to the dancefloor on new single, "Pon Pón"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  25. ^ Rettig, James (March 19, 2024). "Khruangbin Share New Single "Pon Pón": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  26. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (April 5, 2024). "A Chinchilla Adventures In Khruangbin's 'Hold Me Up (Thank You)' Video". Uproxx. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  27. ^ Polyak, Emma (April 8, 2024). "Set forth on a psychedelic trip with Khruangbin's new album". WXPN. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  28. ^ a b "A La Sala by Khruangbin reviews | Any Decent Music". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  29. ^ a b "A La Sala by Khruangbin". Metacritic. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  30. ^ a b Simpson, Paul, "A La Sala – Khruangbin", AllMusic, retrieved April 8, 2024
  31. ^ a b Muggs, Joe (April 5, 2024). "Album: Khruangbin – A La Sala". The Arts Desk. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  32. ^ a b Crook, Oliver. "Khruangbin Find Depth in Simplicity on A La Sala". Exclaim!. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  33. ^ a b Haider, Arwa. "Khruangbin: A La Sala album review – hip, convivial mood music". Financial Times. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  34. ^ Horton, Ross (April 5, 2024). "Khruangbin – A La Sala | Album Reviews". musicOMH. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  35. ^ a b Smith, Thomas (April 5, 2024). "Khruangbin – A La Sala review: a stripped-back but still potent sound". NME. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  36. ^ a b Kalia, Ammar (April 7, 2024). "Khruangbin: A La Sala review – intricate instrumental grooves". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  37. ^ Alvarez, Rosey (April 10, 2024). "This domestic, stripped-down edition of Khruangbin has all the comforts of home, wherever in the world that may be". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  38. ^ a b Wilde, Jamie. "Khruangbin – A La Sala album review". The Skinny. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  39. ^ a b Seip, Nick (April 1, 2024). "Khruangbin A La Sala Review: More Retread than Reinvention". Slant Magazine. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  40. ^ a b Haga, Evan (April 2, 2024). "Khruangbin: The Real Reverb Deal". Spin. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  41. ^ Aswad, Jem (April 5, 2024). "Khruangbin Brings It Back to Basics With the Low-Key Majesty of A La Sala: Album Review". Variety. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  42. ^ "MOJO's 75 Best Albums of 2024". albumoftheyear.org. November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  43. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Khruangbin – A La Sala". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  44. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Khruangbin – A La Sala" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  45. ^ "Ultratop.be – Khruangbin – A La Sala" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  46. ^ "Ultratop.be – Khruangbin – A La Sala" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  47. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Khruangbin – A La Sala". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  48. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Khruangbin – A La Sala" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  49. ^ "Lescharts.com – Khruangbin – A La Sala". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  50. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Khruangbin – A La Sala" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  51. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Khruangbin". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  52. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of April 10, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  53. ^ "Charts.nz – Khruangbin – A La Sala". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  54. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Khruangbin – A La Sala". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  55. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  56. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Khruangbin – A La Sala". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  57. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Khruangbin – A La Sala". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  58. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Khruangbin – A La Sala". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  59. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  60. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  61. ^ "Billboard 200: Week of April 20, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2024.

Further reading

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