Dengue Fever

Dengue Fever’s sixth full-length album is their first for eight years and marks the 20th anniversary of the Cambodian-US band’s acclaimed self-titled debut album. Bass player Senon Williams said that this time the “sole purpose was to let… Chhom Nimol’s captivating voice soar,” which it does, especially on standouts like ‘Touch Me Not’ and the sublime ‘Silver Fish’.

Ting Mong refers to a scarecrow-like mannequin used in Khmer folklore to ward off malevolent spirits, which seems appropriate for these troubling times. The Khmer culture connection also features in ‘Prohok in My Suitcase’, a buzzing wall of sound about prahok, the fermented fish sauce essential to Cambodian cuisine – you take your culture with you wherever you go. Most of the songs – apart from ‘Great on Paper’ – feature Nimol singing Khmer lyrics, with backing from the band.

The album is much more measured and less frenetic than their early music, but their trademark psych guitar and moody keyboard grooves still power their sound. There’s a more melancholic feel to it, too, which dovetails beautifully with Nimol’s sweet, nasally voice.