Dengue Fever
Venus on Earth (M80)Flower-power era Cambodian pop might seem a bit esoteric, but as translated by L.A. hipsters Dengue Fever on third album Venus on Earth, the forgotten genre overflows with distorted surf guitars and vintage Farfisa organ sounding at once vaguely distant and eerily familiar. The seductive warble of Cambodian-born singer Chhom Nimol converts this psychedelic canvas into high art as she sways effortlessly between English and her native Khmer, a feat performed midballad on “Tooth and Nail.” Nimol trades vocals with guitarist Zac Holtzman on “Tiger Phone Card,” a wistful transoceanic love tale, while the languid saxophone punctuating “Woman in the Shoes” feels like a slow float down the Mekong River. The groovy spy-pop of “Integratron” and “Laugh Track” are contagious. Hop on board while there’s still room on the rickshaw. (2pm, Stage 4.)
This article appears in November 7 • 2008.
