Ho Chi Minh City based band, Saigon Soul Revival has been bringing alternative pre 1975 music from Saigon back to the stage since 2016 with their live performances. Honouring the original composers, singers and the golden era from which this music (Nhạc Vàng) came while applying new arrangements and interpretations of old Vietnamese songs. The (core) band includes 5 members consisting of Nguyễn Anh Minh (vocals), Indy Jeremy Vinh Laville (guitar & Đàn Nguyệt ), Nguyễn Hương Bảo Hiếu (drums), Gabriel Kaouros (bass/perc.) and Trần Nam Kỳ (keys). With tight grooves, psychedelic textures and a powerful unique sound, SSR has performed countless shows at a variety of venues across Vietnam, including major events like Quest Festival, Vibe Nation and Mui Ne Music & Art festivals. In 2017 they also took part in the nationally known „Ban Nhạc Việt“ (known in the west as „The Band“) TV format and and accompanied live the two release tours to the Saigon Supersound Compilation releases in Vietnam.
With support from *British Council’s FAMLAB Fund initiative they started to create own compositions in the same vein for their debut album “Họa m Xưa“ that was produce by Jan Hagenkötter and released in 2019 on the Saigon Supersound Imprint. The album was recorded in Vietnam with additional guests like the famous (pre 1975) Vietnamese singer Mai Lệ Huyền and the current popular Saigonese rapper “Blacka” (the 2022 finalist of Vietnam\'s most successful TV show “Rap Việt”), in order to combine the old sound with the new sound of Saigon. Some compositions include traditional Vietnamese instruments like the Đàn Nguyệt played by Indy Laville or the đàn tranh & đàn bầu which is played by famous traditionally-trained musician Thị Hải Phượng on the album and also often at the live shows as special guest. This fusion distinguishes it from the original recordings of the 60s and 70s and has resulted in a unique and contemporary sound. Their debut album “Hoa Am Xua” gained international success. Among many other media features It was nominated for the SONGLINES MUSIC AWARDS 2021 in the UK ! and received massive radio airplay and rotations on Radio FIP in France or Iggy Pop in his BBC radio show and Radio Cosmo (WDR) in Germany.

All members of the band are of Vietnamese background or have a strong connection to its culture and heritage through loved ones and their time spent in the country. Their music focuses on compositions that fuse Vietnamese lyrics and sounds with influences of western rock, soul, bolero, tango and other popular genres of this time period, most of which was banned after the war. This project strives to revive this beautiful musical heritage of Vietnam which represents an important cultural bridge between east and west.