Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Music
The bas-reliefs on some of the monuments in the Angkor region depict musicians and
apsara
holding instruments similar to the traditional Khmer instruments of today, demon-
strating that Cambodia has a long musical tradition all of its own.
Customarily, music was an accompaniment to a ritual or performance that had religious
significance. Musicologists have identified six types of Cambodian musical ensemble,
each used in different settings. The most traditional of these is the
arek ka,
an ensemble
that performs at weddings. The instruments of the
arek ka
include a
tro khmae
(three-
stringed fiddle), a
khsae muoy
(single-stringed bowed instrument) and
skor areak
(drums),
among others.
Ahpea pipea
is another type of wedding music that accompanies the wit-
nessing of the marriage, and
pin peat
is the music that can be heard at ballet performances
and shadow-puppet displays.
Much of Cambodia's golden-era music from the pre-war period was lost during the Pol
Pot years. The Khmer Rouge targeted famous singers, and the great Sinn Sisamouth and
female divas Ros Sereysothea and Pen Ron, Cambodia's most famous songwriters and
performers, all disappeared in the early days of the regime.
After the war, many Khmers settled in the USA, where a lively Khmer pop industry de-
veloped. Influenced by US music and later exported back to Cambodia, it has been
enormously popular.
A new generation of overseas Khmers growing up with influences from the West is pro-
ducing its own sound. Cambodians are now returning to the homeland raised on a diet of
rap in the US or France, and lots of artists are breaking through, such as the ClapYaHandz
collective started by Sok 'Cream' Visal.
There's also a burgeoning pop industry, and many of its stars perform at outdoor con-
certs in Phnom Penh. It's easy to join in the fun by visiting one of the innumerable
karaoke bars around the country. Preap Sovath is the Robbie Williams of Cambodia and,
if you flick through the Cambodian channels for more than five minutes, chances are he
will be performing. Aok Sokun Kanha is one of the more popular young female singers,
with a big voice, but it's a changeling industry and new stars are waiting in the wings.
Dengue Fever is the ultimate fusion band, rapidly gaining a name for itself beyond the
USA and Cambodia. Cambodian singer Chhom Nimol fronts five American prog rockers
who dabble in psychedelic sounds. Another fusion band fast gaining a name for itself is
the Cambodian Space Project, comprising a mix of Cambodians and expats. They regu-
larly play in Phnom Penh and are well worth catching if you happen to be in town.
