Lamtharn Hantrakul is an award-winning AI Sound Artist and AI Research Scientist known by his stage name ญาบอยฮานอย yaboihanoi. His electronic dance music is unique in its uncompromising use of Thai tunings made possible through technologies like AI-based sound synthesis, empowering and challenging modern Thai and ASEAN traditions. In 2022 he won the AI Song Contest, with ‘อสุระเทวะชุมนุม (Enter Demons and Gods)’, which use AI to analyse and synthesise electrifying melodies tuned exactly to the Thai ปี่ใน “Phi Nai”. In modern music, Thai classical melodies are often altered to fit those of western tunings (e.g. tuning a ระนาด “Ranard” to fit C Major on the piano). Reversing this trend, Hantrakul has pioneered the use of music AI to adapt to Thai tuning (e.g. train an AI to operate in original Thai Ranard tuning). By following melodic inflections and tunings only found in Thai instruments like the ปี่ Phi,he’s created modern electronic music that feels distinctly “Thai”.

He’s also written works combining Thai and AI music for artists including พินรี สัณฑ์พิทักษ์ (Pinaree Sanpitak. Bangkok Arts Bienalle 2022), designer ศรัณย์ เย็น ปัญญา (Saran Yen Panya. Cartier Collection 2023) and most recently choreographer พิเชษฐ์ กลั่น ชื่น (Pichet Klunchun. Taiwan International Festival for the Arts 2024). Experience a unique live performance at Sónar+D.