Rắn Cạp Đuôi is a shape-shifting experimental music collective operating out of Saigon. Since forming in 2015, they have made their way to the forefront of the avant-garde music scene in Vietnam, applying a range of techniques stemming from both classical Vietnamese music and the more avant methodologies that come from playing around with broken equipment. They have been known to twist noise, rhythm, and raw emotion into something uniquely their own. On their previous album, 1, they dive deep into surreal, nonlinear soundscapes—glitchy, disjointed, and full of unpredictable compositions and chaotic sonic flares. I caught up with Rắn Cạp Đuôi over email, where we chatted about the benefits of making music in a living room, the mixture of traditional and modern inputs informing their intricate sound, and their go-to late-night snacks. Read the full interview—and listen to *1—below.

In a past interview, you mentioned that some of your best work has come out of making music together in a living room. What do you think it is about that kind of environment that brings out your most creative or exciting material?

Chi: It’s the feeling of having just woken up from a nap after work and having sober enough thoughts to get my ideas to connect to each other.

Zach: I think when we tried to work in a studio earlier last year we were so uncomfortable with it because we had always been recording in shacks up in the mountains or just in our bedrooms so it just feels less stressful and doesn’t come with the slightly voyeuristic element of having other people watching. I think naturally we’re shy people.

Your work incorporates a lot of experimental and digital textures. How has traditional Vietnamese music played a role in informing your sound? Can you talk about how those influences work together?

Zach: Vũ (our other member) and I both listen to and play a lot of traditional music but we apply it in very different ways I think. He’s more of a staunch traditionalist and instead of using the instruments themselves, he tends to apply techniques from cải lương or đờn ca tài tử to his guitar. I mostly record instruments and then use them as melodic elements or textures in our production. But also as a band in general I think a lot of our rhythms are informed by musical elements we picked up during our time in Tây Nguyên. Also a lot of the textural stuff comes from playing with a lot of broken/breaking equipment. “Water damage music.”

In 2023, you guys played at Kafe Haerverk in Oslo as part of your first European tour. What was that experience like for you? Did anything in particular stand out—the venue, the crowd, or just being in Oslo?

Zach: Actually half of the band was missing for this show because our visas arrived late so it was pretty stressful because Tuấn Anh and I hadn’t practiced together in almost two years. The audience was really kind to us though and we did a sort of modified Lightning Bolt-esque two-man set. What we remember most though was how cold it was, I don’t think we’ve ever been that cold. 

What other acts coming out of Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi should we pay attention to? And how are those two cities different in terms of the music scenes you operate in or feel inspired by?

Chi: I really enjoy Sóng Sánh and their live sets. Their singer, Việt, also plays guitar for Rắn Cạp Đuôi. To me the scenes really differentiate from each other by how there is not a singular scene in HCM whereas the Hanoi scene was really centered around their iconic venue Hanoi Rock City (now closed, RIP) despite different sounds and genres.

Zach: Unfortunately a lot of really cool musicians like Tam Đo and Nguyễn Võ Tấn Quang have paused making music to focus on education and work but there are a lot of younger musicians we’re hoping to start performing and releasing soon! Hanoi is sort of just rock music and some drill rap which is really good but I think Saigon has a lot more experimentation since it’s more of a “DIY” city. 

Have you seen any good movies lately?

Chi: I’ve watched Deerskin recently, I didn't expect to like it that much since it was Mr. Oizo but I do relate to it a lot and also Super Dark Times, also very relatable for me.

Zach: The Family Game by Yoshimitsu Morita and also Hostiles by Scott Cooper. 

The title of your debut record - Ngủ Ngày Ngay Ngày Tận Thế, translates to “sleeping through the apocalypse.” Can you speak a bit on what that title means to you and how the sentiment is reflected in the sound of that particular record?

Chi: I did some word salads surrounding the themes of an ending and that one sounded great spoken. But also I sleep a lot.

Is there a new Rắn Cạp Đuôi record in the works?

Chi: Definitely a turkey in the oven.

Zach: I wouldn’t say it like that but yes we’re working on something, it’s a bit more live instrument-focused than the last two albums. Also we’re touring Australia, starting with Soft Centre in Sydney, in August to September!

Go-to late night Vietnamese snack?

Chi: Bánh tráng trộn at Thị Nghè market, but also I do meals late night, not even snacks i.e: mì xào giòn, bánh cuốn, cơm tấm.

Zach: Usually I go for hủ tiếu Nam Vang, xôi, or mì tàu, but in Ho Chi Minh you can pretty much find anything you want at anytime. There’s a very good dim sum place in Quận 5 that opens at 4 a.m., so sometimes after club we will stumble there as the sun’s coming up.