Dengue Fever • The Deepest Lake

Artist Biography:

Dengue Fever is a six-member band from Los Angeles who combine Cambodian pop music and lyrics with psychedelic rock.

The band was formed in 2001 by Ethan Holtzman and his brother Zac after Ethan was inspired by a trip to Cambodia. As Ethan and Zac were searching for a vocalist to sing in Khmer, lead singer Chhom Nimol was discovered in a nightclub in the Little Phnom Penh area of Long Beach. She was already a well-known karaoke singer in Cambodia, but decided to move to the United States after visiting her sister, and thought it was a good chance to make more money to send to her family back home. Zac is a vocalist and guitarist, formerly with Dieselhed, while Ethan plays the Farfisa organ. Rounding out the band are bassist Senon Williams (who played in Radar Bros until January 2009), drummer Paul Smith, and David Ralicke on brass.

Their self-titled debut album was released in 2003. All lyrics on the earlier albums are sung in Khmer, while the third album introduces some songs in English. Many of the songs are covers of 1960s Cambodian rock tunes by such artists as Sinn Sisamouth, Pan Ron, and Ros Serey Sothea, but some are originals, first written in English by the Holtzmans before being translated.

In 2005, the band toured Cambodia during the Bon Om Thook water festival, to critical acclaim. The documentary film Sleepwalking Through the Mekong documents the band's touring in Phnom Penh and other major Cambodian cities. There, singer Chhom Nimol, whose family included renowned singers from the 1970s onward, reconnected with the Cambodian fanbase, many of whom remembered the heyday of Cambodian rock from that era. The trip was a transforming experience for the rest of the band as they performed with master musicians and recorded new songs along the way, providing the band with new material. The film also reveals aspects of modern Cambodia, as the band crosses a cultural chasm with the same spirit as Cambodia's original rock pioneers.

Also in 2005, their second album, Escape from Dragon House, was released, containing more original songs. Escape from Dragon House was one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005. It was re-released on limited edition colored vinyl on August 26, 2008.

In June 2008, Real World Records released Venus On Earth in all territories outside of the U.S. and Canada. Peter Gabriel, founder of their new label, said of the deal, "We have Dengue Fever coming out on Real World Records (outside of the USA) - it’s really cool stuff, with the small Cambodian singer and big American guys behind! They’re California based but have taken 60’s Cambodian pop as their main source of inspiration and it’s done with a lot of style. It’s spirited, impassioned stuff." Venus On Earth was selected as one of the best world music records of 2008 by the iTunes Store.

Dengue Fever has entered into partnerships with a number of charitable organizations to support causes in Cambodia. They are involved with the wildlife and forest conservation organization Wildlife Alliance, and have donated recordings for charity records with the Sweet Relief Fund, a charity that aims to provide financial assistance to musicians dealing with illness, disability, or age-related issues. The group also compiled a collection of Cambodian rock music from the pre-Khmer Rouge era, entitled "Electric Cambodia", in 2010. All proceeds from this album were dedicated to Cambodian Living Arts.

Dengue Fever were winners of the 8th annual Independent Music Awards for best World Fusion Album.

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Biografía del artista:

Dengue Fever es una banda de seis miembros de Los Ángeles que combina la música y las letras del pop camboyano con el rock psicodélico.

La banda se formó en 2001 por Ethan Holtzman y su hermano Zac después de que Ethan se inspirara en un viaje a Camboya. Mientras Ethan y Zac buscaban un vocalista para cantar en Khmer, el cantante principal Chhom Nimol fue descubierto en un club nocturno en el área de Little Phnom Penh en Long Beach. Ya era una conocida cantante de karaoke en Camboya, pero decidió mudarse a los Estados Unidos después de visitar a su hermana, y pensó que era una buena oportunidad para ganar más dinero para enviar a su familia en su país. Zac es vocalista y guitarrista, anteriormente en Dieselhed, mientras que Ethan toca el órgano Farfisa. Completan la banda el bajista Senon Williams (que tocó en Radar Bros hasta enero de 2009), el baterista Paul Smith y David Ralicke en los metales.

Su álbum de debut autotitulado fue lanzado en 2003. Todas las letras de los primeros álbumes están cantadas en jemer, mientras que el tercer álbum introduce algunas canciones en inglés. Muchas de las canciones son versiones de canciones de rock camboyano de los años 60 de artistas como Sinn Sisamouth, Pan Ron y Ros Serey Sothea, pero algunas son originales, escritas primero en inglés por los Holtzmans antes de ser traducidas.

En 2005, la banda realizó una gira por Camboya durante el festival del agua Bon Om Thook, que fue aclamada por la crítica. El documental Sleepwalking Through the Mekong (Caminando dormido por el Mekong) documenta la gira de la banda por Phnom Penh y otras grandes ciudades camboyanas. Allí, el cantante Chhom Nimol, en cuya familia había cantantes de renombre a partir de los años setenta, volvió a conectar con la base de fans camboyanos, muchos de los cuales recordaban el apogeo del rock camboyano de esa época. El viaje fue una experiencia transformadora para el resto de la banda, ya que actuaron con músicos maestros y grabaron nuevas canciones a lo largo del camino, proporcionando a la banda nuevo material. La película también revela aspectos de la Camboya moderna, ya que la banda atraviesa un abismo cultural con el mismo espíritu que los pioneros del rock original de Camboya.

También en 2005 se publicó su segundo álbum, Escape de la Casa del Dragón, que contiene más canciones originales. Escape from Dragon House fue uno de los 100 mejores álbumes de Amazon.com de 2005. Fue relanzado en una edición limitada de vinilo a color el 26 de agosto de 2008.

En junio de 2008, Real World Records lanzó Venus en la Tierra en todos los territorios fuera de los Estados Unidos y Canadá. Peter Gabriel, fundador de su nuevo sello, dijo sobre el acuerdo: "Tenemos la fiebre del dengue que sale en Real World Records (fuera de los EE.UU.) - es un material realmente genial, con el pequeño cantante camboyano y los grandes tipos americanos detrás! Tienen su sede en California, pero han tomado el pop camboyano de los 60 como su principal fuente de inspiración y lo han hecho con mucho estilo. Es un material enérgico y apasionado." Venus On Earth fue seleccionado como uno de los mejores discos de música del mundo de 2008 por la iTunes Store.

La fiebre del dengue se ha asociado con varias organizaciones de beneficencia para apoyar causas en Camboya. Participan en la organización de conservación de la vida silvestre y los bosques Wildlife Alliance, y han donado grabaciones para discos de beneficencia al Sweet Relief Fund, una organización benéfica que tiene por objeto prestar asistencia financiera a los músicos que se ocupan de enfermedades, discapacidades o cuestiones relacionadas con la edad. El grupo también compiló en 2010 una colección de música rock camboyana de la época anterior a los jemeres rojos, titulada "Camboya eléctrica". Todos los ingresos de este álbum se dedicaron a las artes vivas camboyanas.

Dengue Fever fueron los ganadores de los octavos premios anuales de música independiente al mejor álbum de fusión del mundo.


denguefevermusic.com ...

Bombay Groovy • Odyssey

 

Psychedelic/experimental instrumental band from São Paulo, Brasil, founded in 2012, combining psychedelia, exotica and groove. Bombay Groovy is inspired by 70's rock, in which guitar is replaced by the sitar to elaborate, with vigour and unique personality, a new concept of rock as union of Orient and Occident. An unusual formation composed of sitar, the solid and versatile timbre of the Hammond, and a frenetic rhythm section of drums and bass.

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Banda instrumental psicodélica/experimental de São Paulo, Brasil, fundada en 2012, que combina psicodelia, exotismo y groove. Bombay Groovy se inspira en el rock de los años 70, en el que la guitarra es sustituida por el sitar para elaborar, con vigor y personalidad única, un nuevo concepto de rock como unión de Oriente y Occidente. Una formación inusual compuesta por el sitar, el sólido y versátil timbre de los Hammond, y una frenética sección rítmica de batería y bajo. 

 

www.facebook.com/BombayGroovy ...

Everybody Loves Our Town An Oral History of Grunge

 

Twenty years after the release of Nirvana’s landmark album Nevermind comes Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge, the definitive word on the grunge era, straight from the mouths of those at the center of it all.
 
In 1986, fledgling Seattle label C/Z Records released Deep Six, a compilation featuring a half-dozen local bands: Soundgarden, Green River, Melvins, Malfunkshun, the U-Men and Skin Yard. Though it sold miserably, the record made music history by documenting a burgeoning regional sound, the raw fusion of heavy metal and punk rock that we now know as grunge. But it wasn’t until five years later, with the seemingly overnight success of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” that grunge became a household word and Seattle ground zero for the nineties alternative-rock explosion.

Everybody Loves Our Town captures the grunge era in the words of the musicians, producers, managers, record executives, video directors, photographers, journalists, publicists, club owners, roadies, scenesters and hangers-on who lived through it. The book tells the whole story: from the founding of the Deep Six bands to the worldwide success of grunge’s big four (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains); from the rise of Seattle’s cash-poor, hype-rich indie label Sub Pop to the major-label feeding frenzy that overtook the Pacific Northwest; from the simple joys of making noise at basement parties and tiny rock clubs to the tragic, lonely deaths of superstars Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley.

Drawn from more than 250 new interviews—with members of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Screaming Trees, Hole, Melvins, Mudhoney, Green River, Mother Love Bone, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, L7, Babes in Toyland, 7 Year Bitch, TAD, the U-Men, Candlebox and many more — and featuring previously untold stories and never-before-published photographs, Everybody Loves Our Town is at once a moving, funny, lurid, and hugely insightful portrait of an extraordinary musical era.

 

Mark Yarm (Author)  

 

Dengue Fever • Dengue Fever

 

Biography:
Even when you consider the cultural cross-pollination that goes on in large metropolitan areas,
L.A.'s Dengue Fever had perhaps the strangest genesis of any band in recent memory.
It's odd enough for a group of white musicians to cover psychedelic rock oldies from
Cambodia, but finding a bona fide Cambodian pop star to front the band -- and sing in Khmer, no
less -- is the kind of providence that could only touch a select few places on Earth. Formed in
L.A.'s hipster-friendly Silver Lake area in 2001, Dengue Fever traced their roots to organist
Ethan Holtzman's 1997 trip to Cambodia with a friend. That friend contracted the tropical
disease (transmitted via mosquito) that later gave the band its name, and it also introduced
Holtzman to the sound of '60s-era Cambodian rock, which still dominated radios and jukeboxes
around the country. The standard sound bore a strong resemblance to Nuggets-style garage rock
and psychedelia, heavy on the organ and fuzztone guitar, and with the danceable beat of classic
rock & roll. It also bore the unmistakable stamp of Bollywood film musicals, and often employed
the heavily reverbed guitar lines of surf and spy-soundtrack music. Yet the eerie Khmer-language
vocals and Eastern melodies easily distinguished it from its overseas counterpart.

When Holtzman returned to the States, he introduced his brother Zac -- a core member of
alt-country eccentrics Dieselhed -- to the cheap cassettes he'd brought back. They started
hunting for as much Cambodian rock as they could find, and eventually decided to form a band to
spotlight their favorite material, much of which was included on a compilation from Parallel
World, Cambodian Rocks.
In addition to Ethan Holtzman on Farfisa and Optigan, and Zac on vocals and guitar, the charter
membership of Dengue Fever included bassist Senon Williams (also of slowcore outfit the Radar
Brothers), drummer Paul Smith, and saxophonist David Ralicke (Beck, Ozomatli, Brazzaville).
Ralicke shared Zac Holtzman's interest in Ethiopian jazz, further broadening the group's global
mindset. Thus constituted, the band went combing the clubs in the Little Phnom Penh area of Long
Beach, searching for a female singer who could replicate the style and language of the
recordings they had.

After striking out a few times, the Holtzmans discovered Chhom Nimol, a one-time pop star in
Cambodia who came from a highly successful musical family (analogous to the Jacksons).
According to the band, Nimol had performed several times for the Cambodian royal family before
emigrating to Los Angeles. Initially not understanding the band's motives, she was suspicious at
first, but after several rehearsals, everything clicked. Dengue Fever made their live debut in
2002, with the charismatic Nimol in full traditional Cambodian garb, and soon won a following
among Hollywood hipsters, not to mention L.A. Weekly's Best New Band award that year. Purely a
cover band at first, they started working on original material after putting out a four-song EP
locally. The Holtzmans wrote English lyrics and music, then sent the lyrics to a Khmer
translator in the state of Washington, after which Nimol would adjust the melody and words to
her liking.

Dengue Fever counted among their fans actor Matt Dillon, who included their Khmer-language cover
of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" on the soundtrack of his 2003 directorial debut, City of
Ghosts. However, disaster nearly struck when Nimol was arrested in San Diego in accordance with
the stringent, post-9/11 INS policy: she'd arrived in the U.S. on a two-week visitor's visa and
simply stayed on. She was thrown in jail for three weeks, and it took nearly a year for the
band's lawyer to secure her a two-year visa (his fees were paid through benefit concerts).
In the meantime, Dengue Fever released their self-titled debut album on Web of Mimicry, a label
run by Mr. Bungle guitarist Trey Spruance. Most of the repertoire consisted of Cambodian covers,
many originally done by pre-Pol Pot star Ros Sereysothea, but there were several originals and
an Ethiopian jazz tune as well. With Nimol's limited English improving, the bandmembers
considered putting some English-language material on their follow-up, but intended to stick with
Khmer for the most part, in keeping with the music that inspired them. In 2007, Dengue Fever not
only released Escape from Dragon House, but also starred in the documentary Sleeping Through the
Mekong, which saw them performing their music in Cambodia for the first time. Venus on Earth
debuted on the M80 label the following year; it was eventually picked up by Real World for
world-wide distribution. In 2009, they released a CD/DVD entitled Sleepwalking Through the
Mekong, which included the documentary and a compilation album. The band signed to Concord in
2010 and issued their debut for the label, Cannibal Courtship, in April of 2011.
~ by Steve Huey (AMG).


Review:
Despite its rough edges, the debut album by Dengue Fever is an indicator of where pop music is
headed, particularly in areas of multicultural urban sprawl. Though Cambodian emigre Chhom
Nimol's sinuous vocals dominate each song, Zachary Holtzman (guitar, vocals) plays an equally
essential role in defining the band's direction. Retro surf guitar, the throwback psychedelic
tone of the Farfisa organ, rhythms on songs like "Pow Pow" that conjure visions of James Bond
dancing the Swim in a Hong Kong nightclub, as well as the absence of any post-punk or disco
residue, create a sense of time displacement; this music could just as easily have been heard
decades ago, long before American demographics had absorbed Asian pop influences. As a result,
Dengue Fever also projects a feeling of being heard in another place, through the Asian
modalities of its singsong melodies, the reverb that drenches Nimol's tracks and, above all, the
fact that every vocal part, including those of the American-bred musicians, is in Khymer.
This album matters, though, because of its relevance to a growing audience in the U.S. At long
last, years after America tossed the seeds of its pop culture out into the world, the results
are blowing back, taking root, and raising fascinating possibilities for what's to come in this
newer New World.
~ by Robert L. Doerschuk (AMG).

denguefevermusic.com ... 

Dengue Fever • Escape From The Dragon House

El tecladista Ethan Holtzman oriundo de Los Angeles, de viaje por Camboya, se subyuga con el sonido de viejos temas de los sesentas de desconocidos y hasta anónimos grupos locales, lo que le da la idea de recrear dicho sonido en su pais natal. Fruto de ello es Dengue Fever, que aparte de tener una vocalista camboyana, nuestro amigo tecladista fiel al sonido interpreta los temas de la banda con el mítico órgano Farfisa y el Optigan, un teclado de fines de los 60 que utilizaba pistas pregrabadas.

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Automatic translation:

Keyboardist Ethan Holtzman native of Los Angeles, travel Cambodia, subjugates with the sound of old songs from the sixties and even anonymous strangers local groups, which gives the idea of recreating that sound in his native country. The result of this is Dengue Fever, apart from having a Cambodian vocalist, keyboardist our faithful friend sound interprets the songs of the band with the legendary Farfisa organ and Optigan, keyboard late 60s who used prerecorded tracks.

 

denguefevermusic.com ... 

Daikaiju • Phase 2

Review Summary: For fans of metal, prog, rock, surf, and most of all cool music.
Daikaiju deserves more recognition than it gets - a lot more recognition. Much of the problem lies with the band but not because of the music quality. Daikaiju is based in the south but play surf music. Their band name and song names are obscure. They have an odd obsession with kabuki. They are entirely instrumental. They wear masks and use pseudonyms. They're primary sound (surf) went out of style 35 years ago, and is punctuated with metal sensibilities. Whatever the reason for these choices, it's a sure indicator that the band is doing it there way and not to court the mainstream. This is music for the love of making music.
Like most great bands, Daikaiju sports a rock-solid rhythm section. The drums are busy and propulsive. The bass likewise drives the beat while maintaining a sense of melody. Much like JP and Dan Maines of Clutch, neither are flashy individually, but combine to form a fantastic backing for the melody.
The rhythm guitars are tasteful and alternate between laying down foundation for the leads, while often intertwining with the lead for harmonization. The playing ranges from roaring to slow and slinky. Solos standout in spades. I'm most reminded of Opeth in this department not for the style but because they're so damn tasteful. It's not about speed, or range, or tone, but all three with a clear pronouncement on picking the right note at the right time and most importantly in the right context.
I can truly say I've never heard a sound like Daikaiju's. They do something that is a trademark of great bands; they sample influences of many different genres and make it into an distinct and cohesive sound all their own. Revolving around surf, Daikaiju incorporates most notably the bratty showmanship of progressive music and guitar centrism of progressive metal. Like their self-titled album, Phase 2 includes a smooth dub jam. The aforementioned Farewell to Monster Island was a highlight if not the best song from their first album. Here, Jellyfish Sunrise continues in the same vein, though not reaching quite the same epic highs. Other recommended tracks are Flight of the Garuda for a glimpse of the band's quintessential sound. The best track is probably Forcefield Lifts Over Neon City. It displays the creativity and fun that mark the band. It builds slowly but progressively with a catchy beat and melodic lead, reaching apex with a solo that will induce a refractory period.
For those enjoying the album or having difficulty finding this one, the 2005 self-titled release is on par with this one. As a final bonus, this band destroys live. Top notch energy. Guitarists play on the bar, in spectators' laps, in the parking lot, etc.
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/48603/Daikaiju-Phase-2/

 

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 Resumen de la reseña: Para los fans del metal, el prog, el rock, el surf y, sobre todo, la música cool.
Daikaiju merece más reconocimiento del que tiene, mucho más reconocimiento. Gran parte del problema radica en la banda, pero no en la calidad de la música. Daikaiju tiene su sede en el sur, pero toca música surf. El nombre de la banda y los nombres de las canciones son oscuros. Tienen una extraña obsesión por el kabuki. Son totalmente instrumentales. Llevan máscaras y usan seudónimos. Su sonido principal (el surf) pasó de moda hace 35 años, y está salpicado de sensibilidades metálicas. Sea cual sea la razón de estas elecciones, es un indicador seguro de que la banda lo hace a su manera y no para cortejar a la corriente principal. Esto es música por amor a la música.
Como la mayoría de las grandes bandas, Daikaiju cuenta con una sección rítmica sólida como una roca. La batería es intensa y propulsiva. El bajo también impulsa el ritmo mientras mantiene el sentido de la melodía. Al igual que JP y Dan Maines de Clutch, ninguno de los dos es llamativo por separado, pero se combinan para formar un respaldo fantástico para la melodía.
Las guitarras rítmicas son de buen gusto y alternan entre establecer la base para las pistas, mientras que a menudo se entrelazan con la pista para la armonización. La forma de tocar varía desde el rugido hasta la lentitud y la ligereza. Los solos destacan con creces. Lo que más me recuerda a Opeth en este departamento no es por el estilo, sino porque son de muy buen gusto. No se trata de velocidad, ni de rango, ni de tono, sino de las tres cosas, con un claro pronunciamiento sobre la elección de la nota correcta en el momento adecuado y, lo que es más importante, en el contexto adecuado.
Puedo decir sinceramente que nunca he escuchado un sonido como el de Daikaiju. Hacen algo que es una marca registrada de las grandes bandas; toman muestras de influencias de muchos géneros diferentes y las convierten en un sonido propio, distinto y cohesivo. Girando en torno al surf, Daikaiju incorpora sobre todo el espectáculo mocoso de la música progresiva y el centrismo de la guitarra del metal progresivo. Al igual que su álbum autotitulado, Phase 2 incluye una suave jam de dub. La ya mencionada Farewell to Monster Island fue un punto culminante, si no la mejor canción de su primer álbum. Aquí, Jellyfish Sunrise continúa en la misma línea, aunque sin alcanzar los mismos niveles épicos. Otros temas recomendables son Flight of the Garuda, que muestra el sonido por excelencia de la banda. El mejor tema es probablemente Forcefield Lifts Over Neon City. Muestra la creatividad y la diversión que caracterizan a la banda. Se construye lenta pero progresivamente con un ritmo pegadizo y una pista melódica, alcanzando el ápice con un solo que inducirá un periodo refractario.
Para aquellos que disfruten del álbum o tengan dificultades para encontrarlo, el lanzamiento autotitulado de 2005 está a la altura de éste. Como bonus final, esta banda destroza en directo. Energía de primera clase. Los guitarristas tocan en la barra, en el regazo de los espectadores, en el aparcamiento, etc.
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/48603/Daikaiju-Phase-2/

 

 

 

 

daikaiju.org ...

 

The Retroliners • Queen of the Dives... & Trouble at Twilight

 

 

www.retroliners.com ...

VA • Cambodian Rocks

 

Cambodian Rocks es una compilación de 22 canciones de rock psicodélicas y garage camboyano, de finales de la década de 1960 y principios de la de 1970. Wikipedia (Inglés)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodian_Rocks

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Cambodian Rocks is a compilation of 22 uncredited, untitled Cambodian psychedelic and garage rock songs from the late 1960s and early 1970s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodian_Rocks

The Retroliners ‎• Noir Fatale

Surf guitar instrumentals powered by full rock band, hammond b-3, and intriguing percussion

 

 

www.retroliners.com ...

 

Dengue Fever • Swallow The Sun

 

Dengue Fever is a six-member band from Los Angeles who combine Cambodian pop music and lyrics with psychedelic rock.
more ...

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El tecladista Ethan Holtzman oriundo de Los Angeles, de viaje por Camboya, se subyuga con el sonido de viejos temas de los sesentas de desconocidos y hasta anónimos grupos locales, lo que le da la idea de recrear dicho sonido en su pais natal. Fruto de ello es Dengue Fever, que aparte de tener una vocalista camboyana, nuestro amigo tecladista fiel al sonido interpreta los temas de la banda con el mítico órgano Farfisa y el Optigan, un teclado de fines de los 60 que utilizaba pistas pregrabadas.

denguefevermusic.com ...

 

VA • Dengue Fever Presents Electric Cambodia

 

Electric Cambodia may be one of the saddest and most enraging compilations released this year -- not for the music, but for the history. The performers are dead, all dead, or "vanished" into the Killing Fields -- murdered, presumably, although the how is a mystery. Did they die quickly or slowly? Did Sinn Sisamouth offer to sing for his murderers? No, that's only a story, but it is the sort of story that is invented to fill gaps, and compel, as if by magic, incomprehensible events to make sense of themselves by tallying with the normality that came before. Sisamouth was a singer. How else would he crown his life? He sang. An anecdote is a taming spell. It makes the world behave.

And you listen and you think, this person is dead. And you think of the Khmer Rouge, and your thoughts narrow to a pinpoint of rage and wonder -- how dare they? But history is full of vile daring. People dare, and have always dared, and will never stop daring until the earth brushes the sun and goes up -- tzt -- like a fly in a candle.

The songs Dengue Fever has picked for this compilation were recorded by artists who came to pop prominence in the years between the emergence of Cambodia from French domination in 1953 and the 1975 arrival of Pol Pot's communists in Phnom Penh. Most of the tracks date from the 1960s, a few from the '70s. They appear to have been touched up since then by anonymous Cambodian hands, but this seems to have been done to freshen the sound during its journey from one cassette to another, not to rewrite the songs, which remain intact.

Ros Sereysothea's "Shave Your Beard" will be familiar to anyone who has doted on Dengue Fever's first album, which features the group's own cover version. Everything here could fit into the Dengue Fever oeuvre without a hitch. The rock music is joyously mid-century, spacey, forthright, psyche and surf, with buzzing farfisa organ, boogie-strut, snaky guitar, a male chorus crowing ahh-ahh-ahh in "Don't Speak", and pieces of British and US inspiration making themselves known all over the place. Long, winding passages are a constant motif, and this is where Western listeners will probably find the instrumentation most Asian -- in these sinuous licks from organs and guitars.

The authority of the album lies in the voices of its women. Sisamouth contributes some male vocals, but it's the particular pitch of a female singer like Sereysothea that makes this music singular. The tone is an angular super-soprano, supremely high, both sweet and sharp, as if a warm needle is telling you it loves you. It likes to find corners and hairpin bends and slip around them. There are moments of pleasurable vocal ornamentation: the drifting trill at the end of "I Will Starve Myself to Death" for one, or the slight gulping ache about 1:40 into "Cold Sky". The personality of these effects changes with each song -- slinkier here, more longing there. Electric Cambodia is not the first Western album to round up a collection of songs like this -- that distinction might go to Parallel's 1996 release Cambodia Rocks -- but it's a compact demonstration of the era's charms, seen through a Dengue Fever lens.

https://www.popmatters.com/121707-various-artists-dengue-fever-presents-electric-cambodia-2496173543.html

 Editorial Reviews

This music was recorded in the 1960s and early '70s soon after Cambodia became an independent nation. It was a period of rapid modernization that not only influenced music, but also architecture, sculpture, painting, dance and cinema. For many, it was Cambodia's own artistic renaissance, a time pointing to a hopeful future. This golden era came to a sudden end when the Khmer Rouge took control of the country in 1975 and brutally attempted to destroy any trace of modern society. Sadly, while many of the recordings of modern Cambodian rock and roll survived, most of the artists who created it did not. Over the last decade DENGUE FEVER has culled this compilation of their favorite Cambodian rock and roll from many different cassette tapes. The great music you'll find here is a testament to the spirit of a modern Cambodia that existed not so long ago, and should be remembered today. Was featured on PRI's The World on 3/11/2010.

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Electric Cambodia puede ser una de las compilaciones más tristes y enfurecedoras que se han publicado este año, no por la música, sino por la historia. Los intérpretes están muertos, todos muertos o "desaparecidos" en los Campos de la Matanza -- asesinados, presumiblemente, aunque el cómo es un misterio. ¿Murieron rápida o lentamente? ¿El Sinn Sisamouth se ofreció a cantar para sus asesinos? No, eso es sólo una historia, pero es el tipo de historia que se inventa para llenar vacíos y obligar, como por arte de magia, a que los acontecimientos incomprensibles cobren sentido por sí mismos al contarse con la normalidad que existía antes. Sisamouth era cantante. ¿De qué otra forma coronaría su vida? Él cantaba. Una anécdota es un hechizo domador. Hace que el mundo se comporte.

Y escuchas y piensas, esta persona está muerta. Y piensas en los Jemeres Rojos, y tus pensamientos se reducen a un punto de rabia y se preguntan: ¿cómo se atreven? Pero la historia está llena de viles audacias. La gente se atreve, y siempre se ha atrevido, y nunca dejará de atreverse hasta que la tierra roce el sol y salga -- tzt -- como una mosca en una vela.

Las canciones que Dengue Fever ha escogido para esta compilación fueron grabadas por artistas que llegaron a la prominencia pop en los años entre el surgimiento de Camboya de la dominación francesa en 1953 y la llegada de los comunistas de Pol Pot a Phnom Penh en 1975. La mayoría de los temas datan de los años 60, algunos de los años 70. Parece que han sido retocados desde entonces por manos anónimas camboyanas, pero esto parece haberse hecho para refrescar el sonido durante su viaje de un cassette a otro, no para reescribir las canciones, que permanecen intactas.

"Shave Your Beard" de Ros Sereysothea será familiar para cualquiera que haya hecho un buen trabajo en el primer álbum de Dengue Fever, que incluye la versión de portada del grupo. Todo aquí podría encajar en la obra de la Dengue Fever sin ningún problema. La música rock es alegremente de mediados de siglo, espacial, franca, psíquica y surf, con el zumbido órgano farfisa, boogie-strut, guitarra serpenteante, un coro masculino cantando ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh en "Don't Speak", y piezas de inspiración británica y norteamericana dándose a conocer por todas partes. Pasajes largos y sinuosos son un motivo constante, y aquí es donde los oyentes occidentales probablemente encontrarán la instrumentación más asiática - en estos sinuosos lametazos de órganos y guitarras.

La autoridad del álbum reside en las voces de sus mujeres. Sisamouth aporta algunas voces masculinas, pero es el tono particular de una cantante femenina como Sereysothea lo que hace que esta música sea singular. El tono es una super-soprano angular, supremamente alto, dulce y agudo, como si una aguja caliente te dijera que te quiere. Le gusta encontrar esquinas y curvas y deslizarse alrededor de ellas. Hay momentos de ornamentación vocal placentera: el trino a la deriva al final de "Me Moriré de Muerte" para uno de ellos, o el ligero dolor de tragar alrededor de 1:40 en "Cielo Frío". La personalidad de estos efectos cambia con cada canción -- más slinkier aquí, más anhelo allá. Electric Cambodia no es el primer álbum occidental que reúne una colección de canciones como ésta -- esa distinción podría ir hasta el lanzamiento de Cambodia Rocks de Parallel en 1996 -- pero es una demostración compacta de los encantos de la época, vistos a través de la lente de Dengue Fever.

https://www.popmatters.com/121707-various-artists-dengue-fever-presents-electric-cambodia-2496173543.html

 Reseñas editoriales

Esta música fue grabada en los años 60 y principios de los 70, poco después de que Camboya se convirtiera en una nación independiente. Fue un período de rápida modernización que no sólo influyó en la música, sino también en la arquitectura, la escultura, la pintura, la danza y el cine. Para muchos, fue el renacimiento artístico de Camboya, una época que apuntaba a un futuro esperanzador. Esta era dorada llegó a su fin cuando los Jemeres Rojos tomaron el control del país en 1975 e intentaron brutalmente destruir cualquier rastro de la sociedad moderna. Lamentablemente, aunque muchas de las grabaciones del rock and roll camboyano moderno sobrevivieron, la mayoría de los artistas que lo crearon no lo hicieron. Durante la última década DENGUE FEVER ha seleccionado esta compilación de su rock and roll camboyano favorito de muchas cintas de cassette diferentes. La gran música que encontrarás aquí es un testimonio del espíritu de una Camboya moderna que existió no hace mucho tiempo y que debe ser recordada hoy en día. Fue presentado en The World de PRI el 3/11/2010.

denguefevermusic.com ...

  

Bombay Groovy • Bombay Groovy

 

Psychedelic/experimental instrumental band from São Paulo, Brasil, founded in 2012, combining psychedelia, exotica and groove. Bombay Groovy is inspired by 70's rock, in which guitar is replaced by the sitar to elaborate, with vigour and unique personality, a new concept of rock as union of Orient and Occident. An unusual formation composed of sitar, the solid and versatile timbre of the Hammond, and a frenetic rhythm section of drums and bass.

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Banda instrumental psicodélica/experimental de São Paulo, Brasil, fundada en 2012, que combina psicodelia, exotismo y groove. Bombay Groovy se inspira en el rock de los años 70, en el que la guitarra es sustituida por el sitar para elaborar, con vigor y personalidad única, un nuevo concepto de rock como unión de Oriente y Occidente. Una formación inusual compuesta por el sitar, el sólido y versátil timbre de los Hammond, y una frenética sección rítmica de batería y bajo.

Dengue Fever • Sleepwalking Through The Mekong

El tecladista Ethan Holtzman oriundo de Los Angeles, de viaje por Camboya, se subyuga con el sonido de viejos temas de los sesentas de desconocidos y hasta anónimos grupos locales, lo que le da la idea de recrear dicho sonido en su pais natal. Fruto de ello es Dengue Fever, que aparte de tener una vocalista camboyana, nuestro amigo tecladista fiel al sonido interpreta los temas de la banda con el mítico órgano Farfisa y el Optigan, un teclado de fines de los 60 que utilizaba pistas pregrabadas.

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Dengue Fever is a six-member band from Los Angeles who combine Cambodian pop music and lyrics with psychedelic rock.

The band was formed in 2001 by Ethan Holtzman and his brother Zac after Ethan was inspired by a trip to Cambodia. As Ethan and Zac were searching for a vocalist to sing in Khmer, lead singer Chhom Nimol was discovered in a nightclub in the Little Phnom Penh area of Long Beach. She was already a well-known karaoke singer in Cambodia, but decided to move to the United States after visiting her sister, and thought it was a good chance to make more money to send to her family back home. Zac is a vocalist and guitarist, formerly with Dieselhed, while Ethan plays the Farfisa organ. Rounding out the band are bassist Senon Williams (who played in Radar Bros until January 2009), drummer Paul Smith, and David Ralicke on brass.

Their self-titled debut album was released in 2003. All lyrics on the earlier albums are sung in Khmer, while the third album introduces some songs in English. Many of the songs are covers of 1960s Cambodian rock tunes by such artists as Sinn Sisamouth, Pan Ron, and Ros Serey Sothea, but some are originals, first written in English by the Holtzmans before being translated.

In 2005, the band toured Cambodia during the Bon Om Thook water festival, to critical acclaim. The documentary film Sleepwalking Through the Mekong documents the band's touring in Phnom Penh and other major Cambodian cities. There, singer Chhom Nimol, whose family included renowned singers from the 1970s onward, reconnected with the Cambodian fanbase, many of whom remembered the heyday of Cambodian rock from that era. The trip was a transforming experience for the rest of the band as they performed with master musicians and recorded new songs along the way, providing the band with new material. The film also reveals aspects of modern Cambodia, as the band crosses a cultural chasm with the same spirit as Cambodia's original rock pioneers.

Also in 2005, their second album, Escape from Dragon House, was released, containing more original songs. Escape from Dragon House was one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005. It was re-released on limited edition colored vinyl on August 26, 2008.

In June 2008, Real World Records released Venus On Earth in all territories outside of the U.S. and Canada. Peter Gabriel, founder of their new label, said of the deal, "We have Dengue Fever coming out on Real World Records (outside of the USA) - it’s really cool stuff, with the small Cambodian singer and big American guys behind! They’re California based but have taken 60’s Cambodian pop as their main source of inspiration and it’s done with a lot of style. It’s spirited, impassioned stuff." Venus On Earth was selected as one of the best world music records of 2008 by the iTunes Store.

Dengue Fever has entered into partnerships with a number of charitable organizations to support causes in Cambodia. They are involved with the wildlife and forest conservation organization Wildlife Alliance, and have donated recordings for charity records with the Sweet Relief Fund, a charity that aims to provide financial assistance to musicians dealing with illness, disability, or age-related issues. The group also compiled a collection of Cambodian rock music from the pre-Khmer Rouge era, entitled "Electric Cambodia", in 2010. All proceeds from this album were dedicated to Cambodian Living Arts.

Dengue Fever were winners of the 8th annual Independent Music Awards for best World Fusion Album.

 

 

 

denguefevermusic.com ...

Dengue Fever • Venus on Earth

At last, Dengue Fever has made an album that quite nearly matches their incredible live performances. The group began at least as a tribute to the playful yet heavy psychedelic pop scene that flourished in Cambodia before Pol Pot came to power and silenced countless suspected dissidents in that country's infamous killing fields in the mid-1970s. Like the Cambodian pop music that so enamored them, Dengue Fever began by revitalizing strong elements of '60s surf and garage rock in their sound. Over time, they've expanded their influences to Ethiopian funk and modern dance-rock. Once a multi-culti California band with a Cambodian-born singer paying homage to the past, Dengue Fever now plays original, swirling, psychedelic pop. With Western audiences ever more open to hybrid sounds, it will be a huge surprise if Venus on Earth doesn't allow Dengue Fever to quit their day jobs for good, especially after the film about their trip to Cambodia, Sleepwalking through the Mekong, hits the festival circuit in 2008. --Mike McGonigal

Artist Biography:

Dengue Fever is a six-member band from Los Angeles who combine Cambodian pop music and lyrics with psychedelic rock.

The band was formed in 2001 by Ethan Holtzman and his brother Zac after Ethan was inspired by a trip to Cambodia. As Ethan and Zac were searching for a vocalist to sing in Khmer, lead singer Chhom Nimol was discovered in a nightclub in the Little Phnom Penh area of Long Beach. She was already a well-known karaoke singer in Cambodia, but decided to move to the United States after visiting her sister, and thought it was a good chance to make more money to send to her family back home. Zac is a vocalist and guitarist, formerly with Dieselhed, while Ethan plays the Farfisa organ. Rounding out the band are bassist Senon Williams (who played in Radar Bros until January 2009), drummer Paul Smith, and David Ralicke on brass.

Their self-titled debut album was released in 2003. All lyrics on the earlier albums are sung in Khmer, while the third album introduces some songs in English. Many of the songs are covers of 1960s Cambodian rock tunes by such artists as Sinn Sisamouth, Pan Ron, and Ros Serey Sothea, but some are originals, first written in English by the Holtzmans before being translated.

In 2005, the band toured Cambodia during the Bon Om Thook water festival, to critical acclaim. The documentary film Sleepwalking Through the Mekong documents the band's touring in Phnom Penh and other major Cambodian cities. There, singer Chhom Nimol, whose family included renowned singers from the 1970s onward, reconnected with the Cambodian fanbase, many of whom remembered the heyday of Cambodian rock from that era. The trip was a transforming experience for the rest of the band as they performed with master musicians and recorded new songs along the way, providing the band with new material. The film also reveals aspects of modern Cambodia, as the band crosses a cultural chasm with the same spirit as Cambodia's original rock pioneers.

Also in 2005, their second album, Escape from Dragon House, was released, containing more original songs. Escape from Dragon House was one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005. It was re-released on limited edition colored vinyl on August 26, 2008.

In June 2008, Real World Records released Venus On Earth in all territories outside of the U.S. and Canada. Peter Gabriel, founder of their new label, said of the deal, "We have Dengue Fever coming out on Real World Records (outside of the USA) - it’s really cool stuff, with the small Cambodian singer and big American guys behind! They’re California based but have taken 60’s Cambodian pop as their main source of inspiration and it’s done with a lot of style. It’s spirited, impassioned stuff." Venus On Earth was selected as one of the best world music records of 2008 by the iTunes Store.

Dengue Fever has entered into partnerships with a number of charitable organizations to support causes in Cambodia. They are involved with the wildlife and forest conservation organization Wildlife Alliance, and have donated recordings for charity records with the Sweet Relief Fund, a charity that aims to provide financial assistance to musicians dealing with illness, disability, or age-related issues. The group also compiled a collection of Cambodian rock music from the pre-Khmer Rouge era, entitled "Electric Cambodia", in 2010. All proceeds from this album were dedicated to Cambodian Living Arts.

Dengue Fever were winners of the 8th annual Independent Music Awards for best World Fusion Album.

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Por fin, Dengue Fever ha hecho un álbum que casi coincide con sus increíbles actuaciones en directo. El grupo comenzó al menos como un tributo a la juguetona pero pesada escena pop psicodélica que floreció en Camboya antes de que Pol Pot llegara al poder y silenciara a innumerables sospechosos de ser disidentes en los infames campos de exterminio de ese país a mediados de la década de 1970. Al igual que la música pop camboyana que tanto les entusiasmaba, la fiebre del dengue comenzó revitalizando en su sonido elementos fuertes del surf de los 60 y el rock de garaje. Con el tiempo, expandieron sus influencias al funk etíope y al dance-rock moderno. La que fuera una banda californiana de múltiples culturas con una cantante nacida en Camboya que rinde homenaje al pasado, Dengue Fever toca ahora un pop original, arremolinado y psicodélico. Con el público occidental cada vez más abierto a los sonidos híbridos, será una gran sorpresa si Venus en la Tierra no permite que Dengue Fever deje sus trabajos diurnos para siempre, especialmente después de que la película sobre su viaje a Camboya, Sleepwalking through the Mekong, llegue al circuito de festivales en 2008. -Mike McGonigal

Biografía del artista:

Dengue Fever es una banda de seis miembros de Los Ángeles que combina la música y las letras del pop camboyano con el rock psicodélico.

La banda se formó en 2001 por Ethan Holtzman y su hermano Zac después de que Ethan se inspirara en un viaje a Camboya. Mientras Ethan y Zac buscaban un vocalista para cantar en Khmer, el cantante principal Chhom Nimol fue descubierto en un club nocturno en el área de Little Phnom Penh en Long Beach. Ya era una conocida cantante de karaoke en Camboya, pero decidió mudarse a los Estados Unidos después de visitar a su hermana, y pensó que era una buena oportunidad para ganar más dinero para enviar a su familia en su país. Zac es vocalista y guitarrista, anteriormente en Dieselhed, mientras que Ethan toca el órgano Farfisa. Completan la banda el bajista Senon Williams (que tocó en Radar Bros hasta enero de 2009), el baterista Paul Smith y David Ralicke en los metales.

Su álbum de debut autotitulado fue lanzado en 2003. Todas las letras de los primeros álbumes están cantadas en jemer, mientras que el tercer álbum introduce algunas canciones en inglés. Muchas de las canciones son versiones de canciones de rock camboyano de los años 60 de artistas como Sinn Sisamouth, Pan Ron y Ros Serey Sothea, pero algunas son originales, escritas primero en inglés por los Holtzmans antes de ser traducidas.

En 2005, la banda realizó una gira por Camboya durante el festival del agua Bon Om Thook, que fue aclamada por la crítica. El documental Sleepwalking Through the Mekong (Caminando dormido por el Mekong) documenta la gira de la banda por Phnom Penh y otras grandes ciudades camboyanas. Allí, el cantante Chhom Nimol, en cuya familia había cantantes de renombre a partir de los años setenta, volvió a conectar con la base de fans camboyanos, muchos de los cuales recordaban el apogeo del rock camboyano de esa época. El viaje fue una experiencia transformadora para el resto de la banda, ya que actuaron con músicos maestros y grabaron nuevas canciones a lo largo del camino, proporcionando a la banda nuevo material. La película también revela aspectos de la Camboya moderna, ya que la banda atraviesa un abismo cultural con el mismo espíritu que los pioneros del rock original de Camboya.

También en 2005 se publicó su segundo álbum, Escape de la Casa del Dragón, que contiene más canciones originales. Escape from Dragon House fue uno de los 100 mejores álbumes de Amazon.com de 2005. Fue relanzado en una edición limitada de vinilo a color el 26 de agosto de 2008.

En junio de 2008, Real World Records lanzó Venus en la Tierra en todos los territorios fuera de los Estados Unidos y Canadá. Peter Gabriel, fundador de su nuevo sello, dijo sobre el acuerdo: "Tenemos la fiebre del dengue que sale en Real World Records (fuera de los EE.UU.) - es un material realmente genial, con el pequeño cantante camboyano y los grandes tipos americanos detrás! Tienen su sede en California, pero han tomado el pop camboyano de los 60 como su principal fuente de inspiración y lo han hecho con mucho estilo. Es un material enérgico y apasionado." Venus On Earth fue seleccionado como uno de los mejores discos de música del mundo de 2008 por la iTunes Store.

La fiebre del dengue se ha asociado con varias organizaciones de beneficencia para apoyar causas en Camboya. Participan en la organización de conservación de la vida silvestre y los bosques Wildlife Alliance, y han donado grabaciones para discos de beneficencia al Sweet Relief Fund, una organización benéfica que tiene por objeto prestar asistencia financiera a los músicos que se ocupan de enfermedades, discapacidades o cuestiones relacionadas con la edad. El grupo también compiló en 2010 una colección de música rock camboyana de la época anterior a los jemeres rojos, titulada "Camboya eléctrica". Todos los ingresos de este álbum se dedicaron a las artes vivas camboyanas.

Dengue Fever fueron los ganadores de los octavos premios anuales de música independiente al mejor álbum de fusión del mundo.

 

 

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