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