We were staying somewhere on the Kamchay River, the sun was setting along the mangroves, and the air was thick with smoke as Srey Thy’s marvelous voice poured from the speakers. It’s been impossible to forget my induction to The Cambodian Space Project ever since, and I’m reminded of that magical experience every time they drop a new track.
After some wonderfully accidental initiation at a Phnom Penh karaoke bar, the international collective have been playing a splendid blend of Khmer psychedelic rock and “golden age” 1960s Cambodian pop — both at home and abroad — all on the back of their debut album, 2011: A Space Odyssey. Although they have been keeping busy in Australia for the past couple of weeks, the band has just posted a trio of tracks on its SoundCloud page, which were all recorded live in Detroit by Jim Diamond (The White Stripes, The Dirt Bombs) at Ghetto Recorders.
Have a listen to the dusty garage tremor of “WOMAN WANTS TO DRINK” below, and keep an eye on the band’s website for details as they tour their 2013 follow-up Not Easy Rock & Roll.
• The Cambodian Space Project: http://cambodianspaceproject.com
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