Cambodia’s psychedelic rock enters new phase, inspired by golden age of 1960s and ’70s

An exotic blend of Cambodian rock, afro grooves, surf and psychedelic garage wafts from a romantically derelict French colonial villa sitting off the riverside in Phnom Penh. The crowd bounces in the mansion’s open courtyard to the enigmatic vocals of Khmer singer Chhom Nimol, which flutter above heavy guitar chords, roaring bass, seductive horns and the beat of drums.

The band Dengue Fever draw a big crowd when performing on the lead singer’s home turf, and this gig is no different. This is one of three February dates in Cambodia (their first shows in the country since 2013), before an extensive tour of the US in March and April, and the US-based band are representative of a musical revival movement that has swept across the kingdom and beyond.

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Drawing influences from the vibrant Cambodian rock scene the country enjoyed during the “golden era” of the 1960s and ’70s, and giving it a modern spin, the American-Cambodian band are one example of how the country’s music scene is being refreshed as it enters a new, exciting chapter.

“By playing the songs of that era we can give them a little extra life,” says Dengue Fever drummer Paul Smith. “They have a life of their own, as well, but then they also have this intertwined existence with the present and anybody playing those songs. A musical time machine, if you will.”

During the golden era, Phnom Penh’s popular nightspots were overflowing with young Cambodians twisting and shaking to the country’s unique spin on rock ’n’ roll.

Layering the hypnotic yodels of female Cambodian singers with gentle saxes, organs and drums, the lively Cambodian rock scene captivated the country, and fans in flared pants flocked from all over the country to hear the sounds of the likes of Ros Sereysothea, Yol Aularong and Sin Sisamuth, the artists who defined the movement.