If you’re a fan of Audiotree, there’s a good chance you recently saw the debut session from self-described “Bangkok Evilcore” outfit Whispers, a Thailand-based band signed to Flatspot Records (home of our phriends Jivebomb), who released their Yom-Ma-Lok EP last December. The group have spent much of the past year touring with Flatspot labelmates SPEED, in addition to playing sets at Sound and Fury, Tied Down Detroit, and Outbreak Fest Autumn Edition. Whispers are currently on a monthlong run providing support for SUNAMI and [our buddies] Scowl’s double-headlining jaunt, which will have them at our very own Union Transfer on November 6th. I recently got a chance to chat with Whispers guitarist Kitti Suwan about working with Flatspot, Thailand’s hardcore scene, and touring the world.
Izzy Cihak: You just released an Audiotree session, which I totally love. How was that whole experience? Was it what you expected? I’m guessing you’ve listened to at least a handful of Audiotree sessions over the years, if not many.
Kitti Suwan: That was such a wonderful and challenging experience for us, and of course, we’ve been following this show for a long time as well. For hardcore musicians like us, being part of Audiotree was something completely new and quite nerve-racking, since we were afraid we might not do well, we had never done anything like that before. But everyone there was incredibly welcoming and supportive. We’re truly grateful to them for giving us such a great opportunity.
While we were there, our only thought was to do our best and have fun with our own music, to be ourselves as much as possible, and to express our dedication and passion. Whatever happened afterward was beyond anyone’s expectations, and I believe that’s just how it is.
Izzy: You’re currently signed to Flatspot Records, which is such an amazing label (I love the new Jivebomb record!) How is it being a part of that label family? I know you’ve said that they haven’t really changed your process of making music, but they’ve been really good at helping to get you gigs around the world.
Kitti: I love the new Jivebomb too, they’re so dope!
Everything you said is totally right. If it wasn’t for all the help we’ve gotten from Flatspot Records, we wouldn’t have come this far. Coming all the way from our hometown on the other side of the world was really tough. Being part of Flatspot feels like having a second home, like another family that keeps pushing and supporting us to see more of the world. Even the bands on the same label welcomed us with such warmth and fun energy. We feel super lucky to have this family looking out for us and teaching us so much along the way.
Izzy: You’ve been playing shows basically all year now. Have you had any recent performances that especially stood out above the rest, or proved to be highlights?
Kitti: Overall, we’ve enjoyed every show we’ve played because each one has its own unique atmosphere. But for me, the most unforgettable shows were Sound and Fury Fest and Tied Down Fest in the US, as well as touring with SPEED and Feel the Pain for the shows in Sydney and Melbourne. We honestly didn’t expect the audience to respond so enthusiastically, the overall energy made us go completely crazy and lose ourselves in the moment.
Playing shows on such a large scale was something totally new to us, since we never expected that so many fans would actually come to see us. We’ve always thought of ourselves as just a small hardcore band from Asia. Those four shows are ones we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.
Izzy: You have a few big, amazing tours you’re going to be doing, with your US jaunt with SUNAMI and Scowl (who are one of my favorite bands), before a European run with Guilt Trip, Big Boy, and Calcine. How excited are you for these upcoming shows? Are there any you’re especially excited about, even if just because you really want to visit or revisit certain cities?
Kitti: I still get excited every time we meet new tourmates and new fans, that feeling never gets old. Being part of such an amazing lineup honestly gets us so pumped. Of course, we want to put on the best and most fun show we can, but being good people and good friends along the way is just as important to us. Sometimes the cultural differences can make us worry about misunderstandings, so we always try to stay open and keep learning from everyone around us.
Izzy: What can be expected of the Whispers live show on these upcoming dates? I haven’t gotten a chance to see you yet, so I’m super excited.
Kitti: Honestly, there’s nothing to expect, you tell me, lol! For every show, we just give it everything we’ve got. The fun part about hardcore, I think, is that it’s all about not having expectations, just letting your body and mind react naturally. That’s really the answer to that question. We still get excited every time we see people waiting to go off with us, and we’re always stoked to meet new friends too.
Izzy: All of your US shows so far have had you playing in fairly large rooms, since you’ve been supporting pretty big acts, but I’m curious if you have a favorite type of venue space or setting to play, or one that feels best suited to the kinds of shows you like to put on?
Kitti: Personally, I really love small, underground shows, small venues, more violence, haha, that’s our shit. There’s something so special about being up close and surrounded by that raw energy. Honestly, we just get the shakes every time we play a big stage, lmao. Looking back ten years ago, we never imagined we’d be playing in front of crowds this huge. Sometimes we even miss playing those tiny venues where we pretty much knew everyone in the room, especially back home in Thailand.
Izzy: Like you said, you’ve been doing this for more than a decade now, and have really been central to the growth of hardcore in Thailand, so I’m curious what have been some of the coolest things you’ve seen happen in that time, in addition to just getting to play to bigger and bigger crowds over the years.
Kitti: We’ve been through all the ups and downs of the hardcore scene in Thailand. Even during the times when we weren’t doing Whispers, we still had the chance to be part of the scene for a long time, each of us moving along with our own pace in life. Seeing old friends come back to our shows or seeing some of the older bands start playing again along with new faces joining in, that’s just so awesome. It’s like we’re the watchers, seeing the torch being passed from one generation to the next. The passion, energy, and spirit of each era and each group of people are all different, and that’s what keeps hardcore from ever feeling boring to us, it always feels fresh and alive in its own way. We’re really happy to be part of that change, seeing how music connects new people and brings old friends back together again.
Izzy: You’re going to be playing FYA Fest in Orlando next January, which has such a great lineup, but, in addition to that, how are you hoping and planning to spend 2026? Anything that you’re especially excited about that you’re allowed to talk about yet?
Kitti: We just want to see the hardcore scene in Thailand grow and also in being a driving force for the younger generation, those who want to follow their dreams with their friends, just like we did in the beginning when we came together simply because we shared the same passion and joy for hardcore music. It’s also about creating a space where people who love this music can connect, exchange ideas, and enjoy it together. We want to preserve that spirit for as long as we possibly can. Of course, we want to make more music and more tour dates all over the world in next year and forever, haha.
*Get your tickets here.
