Dengue Fever presents Electric Cambodia

The Los Angeles band Dengue Fever, featuring Cambodian-born Chhom Nimol on vocals, has built a following among indie fans with their adventurous translations of ‘60s and ‘70s Cambodian pop music. Shedding light on a musical genre nearly wiped out during the horrific years of the Khmer Rouge regime (musicians and artists were prime targets), Dengue Fever have not only made terrific records, but have visited that country and worked extensively to support research and preservation efforts by numerous groups. The soundtrack to their documentary made while visiting Cambodia, Sleepwalking Through the Mekong, offers a few original, “lost” pop gems, but this collection of even more obscure tracks — rescued from battered cassette tapes and dusty attics — is a brilliant display of ’60s Cambodian pop culture. Many of these exhilarating songs show the influence of the West: check out “Snaeha,” Pan Ron’s take on Cher’s 1966 hit, “Bang Bang,” and the psych-rock guitars on “Flowers in the Pond.” All sales benefit the Cambodian Living Arts organization.