Chaweewan Dumnern - Lam Toey Chaweewan
There’s something about the vocals on this song that really give it that other dimension that you want from molam. The Soundway liner noes explain the lyrics are playful and apparently about a man that Chaweewan wants to be with so badly that she wants him to leave his family and divorce his wife. Be convinced!
서편제 (Seopyeonje) - 진도 아리랑 (Jindo Arirang)
In Korea, there are a bunch of regional variants of the Arirang folk song. One of the main ones is the Jindo Arirang (진도 아리랑) from Jindo Island in the South West of the country.
This version is one of my favourites because of the expressive vocal style. The video clip comes from the 1993 movie Seopyeonje (서편제) which apparently wasn’t expected to do well as a movie but ended up helping revive modern interest in the pansori style.
For more information on pansori and a few other Korean folk styles, check out the movie Intangible Asset No.82. One of the best anglophone looks into modern Korean folk music.
Thra Ka Band - Chan Penh Boromey
I know very few details about the Khmer music I listen to, but some of my favourite music came out of this scene. All I can tell you about this song, is that it features the vocals of Keo Sokha (definitely one of the less recorded singers of this era).
Blogs tend to post a cliche blurb on the Khmer Rouge or if you’re lucky, the largely ignored American carpet bombing, but I would prefer to see this era of Khmer culture remembered as a great period in music and not associated with later political events. To me, this is some of the most beautiful and hypnotic groove music that the 70’s had to offer!
“Chan Penh Boromey” has the heavy head nod Khmer soul beat that first attracted me to this music, call and answer vocals and some really stylish guitar work reminiscent of classics like “Blue Basket”. You cant go wrong here. Enjoy!
