Dengue Fever,
Dengue Fever
(Web of Mimicry, 2003)

The sextet Dengue Fever has an interesting sound featuring Cambodian vocalist Chhom Nimol and saxophonist David Ralicke, who has previously toured in Beck's band.

While Nimol delivers bright, multi-tracked vocals in her trebly Oriental inflection, Ralicke juxtaposes nicely on saxophone for a well-rounded sound. Guitarist Zac Holtzman (Dieselhead) provides angular, repeated guitar patterns that seem just suited to this Cambodian-indie rock concoction.

This was just the idea of Zac and his brother Ethan (Farfisa organ) who went to Long Beach's Little Phnom Penh Cambodian community to enlist a singer that could deliver the vocal style they came to love from '60s Cambodian rock music. They lucked out when they found Nimol, a Cambodian pop start from a long line of entertainers that has even performed for the royalty of Cambodia.

The album contains a mix of the Cambodian '60s rock the band started covering, along with originals sung in Khmer.

- Rambles
written by Tom Schulte
published 15 January 2005



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