Darling, I got my trust issues/ Warning, you stay away/ If we meet at the rendezvous/ Take me away, sunray,” sings 24-year-old indie-folk and neo soul artiste Phum Viphurit in his 2018 hit, Lover Boy. The Thailand-born and now, New Zealand-based singer-songwriter’s music would easily fit into a Sofia Coppola movie. With a shimmery sound and a dreamy aesthetic, which trickles down to his viral music videos, Phum (born, Viphurit Siritip) — who in the short time of two years since the release of his first album, Manchild — is any indie-rock lover’s dream.

And if you think about it, genres like neo-soul, dream-pop, shoegaze and art pop have never really had their time in the sun in this country, where the audiences are largely inclined towards Bollywood, metal and now, Hindi hip-hop. Then, it comes both as a surprise and respite that Phum will be playing tomorrow at Third Culture’s Neon East Fest.