Sin Sisamouth

November 15, 2009 4:59 PM

Sin Sisamouth, the king of Cambodian pop. Klen Kloun Noun Srey::Bopha Thy Moy::Kom Sman Bong Phlech::Ah Snae Meas Bong::many more here::(previously, from the mighty mighty flapjax)
posted by vronsky (14 comments total)

What evocative and transporting music.
posted by longsleeves at 5:13 PM on November 15, 2009

OMG, just my cuppa chai. Thanks! Easy on the ears and catchy, mysteriously optimistic.

Adding some Indian twang into the mix.
posted by nickyskye at 5:45 PM on November 15, 2009

Thanks for the nod, vronsky!

This CambodiaTheBeautiful youtuber has done some serious digging here: a real treasure trove. And I like the one lotus flower motif for EVERY VIDEO! Haha!

Also, is "Kom Sman Bong Phlech" the best song title of all time or what?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:52 PM on November 15, 2009

You know, 2 years later and I'm still reeling from that post you made flapjax. I mean, this music really changed my life.

One can download the Cambodia Rocks compilation here.

And the Los Angeles band Dengue Fever, which covers much of this music, puts on one of the funnest live shows I've seen in ages.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 6:46 PM on November 15, 2009

Nice Nicky :) reminds me of Santo & Johnny.

I love the Meas Mathray link from your post Flapjax. I like listening to her talk as much as the music.
posted by vronsky at 7:14 PM on November 15, 2009

related, and probably deserving its own post, Johnny Olsen, an American kid who fell in love with Thai music and has become a big star over there (from the magical mr. momus)
posted by vronsky at 7:29 PM on November 15, 2009

And you know, this is the music I grew up with, sitting next to the world band receiver, listening to Malaysian pop and the BBC world service. It weaves an incredible nostalgic spell over me.
posted by vronsky at 7:46 PM on November 15, 2009

Also, me previously. Sans music links, my bad.
Plus, Ros Sereysothea: Old Sour And Sweet is incredible. Incredible.
posted by PHINC at 8:36 PM on November 15, 2009

Also, I wish someone would finish this documentary, if they have not already:
Don't Think I've Forgotten (Cambodia's Lost Rock And Roll)
posted by PHINC at 8:38 PM on November 15, 2009

compare Cambodian costumes with Malaysian (iban).
posted by vronsky at 9:46 PM on November 15, 2009

N-thing the love for flapjax's post two years back, the documentary on Cambodia's Rock and Roll era and Dengue Fever's Sleep-walking on the Mekong. Ever since my re-introduction[1] to Sereysothea through flapjax's post, I had been OD'ing on Cambodian rock so much that my flatmates still joke about it. There are, however, few higher states of being than to listen to Sisamouth's lilting voice as the breeze blows over from the Straits in the evening. Ahhhhhh.
_{--
[1]- The first hit was in Cambodia, and I was, indeed, sleep-walking; was walking back to my shack after a hard day's trek at the Angkor ruins. A karaoke singer in a next-door bar switched genres and started singing a melancholic number. I didn't know what that was until I read flapjax's post}
posted by the cydonian at 12:50 AM on November 16, 2009

Found the Cambodian Cassette Archive (on CD) a few years back. You'll love it too, I'm sure.
posted by Rykey at 6:31 AM on November 16, 2009

See also.
posted by the cuban at 6:35 AM on November 16, 2009

Siam dancers
posted by vronsky at 1:33 PM on November 24, 2009