lockdown : vinyl find #27.

Music blogs surely had an impact in my interest for music from all over the world, but it wasn't the only factor. When it comes to Cambodian music, the pop kind I mean, a friend of mine had a role ; he's a journalist who wrote several pieces about how was music in Cambodia before the dark reign of the Khmer Rouge. To summarize, there was a vibrant yéyé-like scene, particularly represented by stars like Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea. 

Very early in my collecting, my interest for this era grew and I became quickly the proud owner of two compilations released by Lion Productions (a label with an impressive catalog in terms of quality) titled "Groove Club Vol. 2 : Cambodia Rock Spectacular !" and "Groove Club Vol. 3 : Cambodia Rock Intensified !".

Later on, I learned that through the Cambodian diaspora, several bands were trying to revive this type of Cambodian music. I heard about Dengue Fever, then about the Cambodian Space Project. 

The band was built around two main characters : Srey Kak Channthy, the singer, and Julien Poulson, the guitarist. From 2010 to 2017, they did what no other band had done since the Khmer Rouge era : they released vinyl records in Cambodia. Sadly, the adventure stopped in 2018 with the accidental death of Kak Channthy. Still remains the beautiful songs she crafted with her band.

"Not easy rock & roll" is the second album of the band, released in 2012 through an Australian/HongKonger label, which I was lucky to find in Paris, at Gibert Musique, which used to have an excellent selection of "global grooves". 

Due to the unusual sounds it contains, some would say it would fall, at least for part of it, in the psychedelic category. I wouldn't take that road... it sounds like a proper revival of the music that was done in Cambodia in the 1970's, though modernized. It's definitely more rock than pop (yes, even their cover of "Bang bang", which is blazing by the way) ; the sound is indie, garage. 

I guess we'll miss Kak Channthy's vocals in the next years. We can only hope that the other albums of the band will have a vinyl reissue in the future. 

The Cambodian Space Project - Not easy rock & roll.

Here are a few tracks from this tasty album.

Totally makes me want to go to Asia...