Dengue Fever

Lately I have been so fascinated with an American Cambodian psychedelic rock band named "Dengue Fever".  I realized that since 4 months ago that I got to know them, whenever I started listening to them, the player went through the songs over and over without making me tired of the music.

Not understanding a single Cambodian word, I was surprised how profound music itself can be. The penetrating voice of Chhom Nimol, although not merry but joyfully takes us to the mysterious Khmer world through songs like "New year's Eve". This song is most probably a cover of a song originally by "Ros Sereysothea" which knocked "Ethan Hotlzman" (the band keyboard player) sideways when he heard it on a pick up truck while hitchhiking in Cambodia.

Chhom's voice has a strong diversity and can make you sleepwalking when listening to "Flowers" or "Genjer Genjer". When I read what happened to people including musicians during Pol Pot's regime, when any form of creativity was viewed as decadence, and nearly 2 million people got killed, I understood why in these two songs, Chhom's voice is so infused with pain.

Lastly, I realized why the song  "One thousand tears of a Tarantula" is so turbulently psychedelic. It was written about one of the singers who was allegedly executed by the Khmer Rouge after being forced to strip naked and walk in circles, singing for her captors.

Don't miss their music on the following direct links: Myspace Dengue Fever, Ilike Dengue Fever, Dengue Fever youtube channel, Dengue Fever in allmusic.There is also a trailer of "sleepwalking through the Mekong" which is interesting.

For more about Cambodian musical renaissance, you can read "A voice from the killing fields" by Nik Cohn at Guardian.