These files re-uploaded 1/11/2022...Enjoy,NØ
1975-1979 was a period of genocidal censorship throughout Cambodia under the khmer Rouge & Pol Pot. At this time, there were extreme restrictions that, if violated, could get you arrested, tortured, & likely killed. Things like education, religion, professionalism, intellectualism, banking, skilled trade, relationships with family, expressing certain emotions, & speaking about the past were all restricted. In addition, the Khmer Rouge banned all art, literature, & music that did not praise the Communist Party & its leader, Pol Pot.
Cultural & performing arts institutions were promptly closed. Instruments & recorded music were disposed. Artists & musicians vigorously hid their identities. Some musicians (including prestigious musicians, who might have difficulty hiding their identities) enlisted to play ‘revolutionary’ music for the Khmer Rough regime. Yet even many of these artists did not survive. Cambodian musicians quickly became subjected to the world’s most extreme form of music censorship…genocide. Not only was music itself banned, but it is widely estimated that ninety percent of Cambodia’s musicians & performers were killed during Pol Pot’s rule. By 1979, it became clear that the rich cultural history of Cambodia was all but erased.
Although this music was released in 1978, it was recorded much earlier. It was presented to save for posterity music that was being wiped off the face of Cambodia. Fortunately, the Pinpeat Ensemble still exists today, although many of the original musicians were killed under Pol Pot’s genocide.
Traditional Cambodian music can be heard at a number of
occasions, for example: spiritual rites; weddings; Buddhist festivals; &
performances of shadow theatre (a kind of shadow puppetry). In Cambodia: Traditional Music, Vol. 1
the Phleng Khmer Ensemble & the Pinpeat Ensemble play instruments such as
the khse diev (one-string
lute), phlom slek (‘blow leaf’),
pai-ar (bamboo flute), chhing (hand cymbals), & skor arak (small drum). The musicians
improvise words & vocables around an underlying structure. They follow
their fellow performers to create complex layers of rhythm.
This is Volume 1, there is a second volume, FE 4082. These
are classic style field recordings compiled & annotated by Chinary Ung.
Various - CambodiaTraditional Music, Ethnic Folkways Records FE 4081, 1978.
decryption code in comments
Side A –
Skhe-Diev (monochord lute solo)
Phlom Sleck (single leaf solo)
Krom Phleng Khmer (ensemble/ male voice)
Krom Phleng Khmer (ensemble music wedding)
Chhayam (percussion, ensemble/ male voices)
Side B –
Krom Phleng Pinpeat (percussion ensemble & sralay)
Mohori (ensemble/ female voice)
Krom Phleng Pinpeat (percussion ensemble & sralay)
Krom Phleng Pinpeat (percussion ensemble & sralay)
Ros Sereysothea was probably the greatest Cambodian female
singer that ever lived. She had a powerful electrifying voice with a
haunting quality that resonates in the souls as well as the ears. Sothea
was a tiny woman, standing only five feet tall, but she had a voice like an
amplifier. Live, she rarely needed a microphone. During her
extraordinary career she performed thousands of wonderful
songs in almost every imaginable genre.
What we know of her life story informs us that her life
was filled with heartache, that it ended in tragedy. She was a
victim, like so many others during the tumultuous years that she lived,
but her golden voice lives on.
Ros Sereysothea’s birth name was Ros Sothea. She was born in
1948 in a small village in Battambong,
Cambodia. Like
many poor Cambodians, Sothea had a childhood defined by hardship. Sothea's
family could not afford to send her to school. She grew up not knowing how to
read or write Khmer.
In her teens, she & her family began to make a living by
performing as a traditional peasant band. Sothea & her brother
Serey sang while the rest of her family played the music. They performed daily
throughout the small villages of Battambong, earning enough from their music to
provide food for the family.
Slowly their reputation grew. Sothea’s talent was
obvious early on, & her brother was also very popular so larger &
larger audiences turned out to see the family band. Apparently the band
had a name (since lost to history) but most people just called them Serey-Sothea
after these two enchanting singers.
At the same time that Serey-Sothea was gaining popularity while
touring through Battambong province, the Cambodian music industry based in Phnom Penh was growing rapidly, producing Cambodia's
first real music stars. When word got to the villages that musicians &
singers were making good money in Phnom
Penh, Serey & Sothea decided to go to try their
luck. They had little to lose & much to gain if they succeeded, so Sothea
& her brother made the move south to the capital city.
They arrived in Phnom
Penh with no connections to the music industry so they
decided to try out during an open-mike night at a local club. After their very
first performance they were hired by the club to be the featured
singers. They continued to perform & quickly got work at other clubs
around town. Sothea was rapidly becoming a sought after attraction. Her
popularity grew across the capital. She began to get booked as a solo act,
attracting ever growing crowds. Sothea was something different. Her voice could
not only delight audiences, but also bring them to tears of both joy &
sorrow. Her immense talent soon eclipsed her brother in both fame &
popularity. When she broke out on her own she kept making music under the name
Sereysothea as a tribute to brother.
Around this same time, Sereysothea's popularity sparked the
attention of Phnom Penh
record producers. She officially changed her name to Ros Sereysothea &
signed her first record contract. Soon her music could be heard on radios
across Cambodia. She
had her first hit around 1967 with the song "Stung Khieu". From the
late 60s to the mid 70s Ros produced some amazing music, classics in many
genres. She even starred in a few films. It was during these years,
the heyday of Sereysothea's professional career that King Norodom Sihanouk gave
her the title ‘Preah Rheich Teany Somlang Meas’ (‘Golden Voice of the Royal
Capital’). It was the first time the King had given any singer such an
honor.
At this time a new sound was emerging in Phnom Pehn, led by
the famed male singer Sinn Sisamouth, the ‘Elvis of Cambodia’. Sinn & Ros
developed a great professional relationship. They collaborated often & were
known as the king & queen of Cambodian pop music. The two worked with
other Cambodian musicians of the time to create what today is sometimes called
Cambodian psychedelic rock or garage rock.
Influenced by Western rhythm & blues, Rock’n'Roll, &
music from Latin America that Cambodians were hearing on US Armed Forces Radio
during the Vietnam War, this new sound was a truly unique creation of the
Phnom Penh music scene in the 60s & 70s. This new Cambodian rock music
replaced the instruments of traditional Khmer music with western style
rock bands. This hybrid music was a perfect fit for Sereysothea's high,
clear voice; when coupled with bands featuring prominent, distortion-laden
lead guitars, pumping organ, & loud, driving drums, the result made for an
intense & often haunting sound.
Up until 1975, Ros continued to perform & record
music in the still thriving Cambodian music scene. In April of that year
it all ended when the Khmer Rouge marched into Phnom Penh. Along with many others, Sereysothea
was forced out of the capital & into the Khmer Rouge work camps of Phnom
Sruorch, Kompung Speu. When the singer first arrived as a new worker, the
villagers did not recognize her. She managed to keep her identity a secret. Later
on, as more people from Phnom Penh
were moved to the site, she was recognized. After discovering her
identity, the Khmer Rouge leaders made Ros sing songs that celebrated the new
regime, that urged the people to work harder. When she wasn't singing, Sereysothea
was required to work at digging irrigation ditches like everyone else in the
camp.
Even though she could sing, she wasn’t allowed to sing the
songs that she loved. She was only permitted to sing during celebrations
& meetings organized by Angkar (meaning The Organization, the supreme
authority in Cambodia
under Pol Pot, an obscure ruling body was kept in secret). Although the songs
that Ros was forced to perform during those years were simply
propoganda, those who heard her have declared that her voice was superb,
that her incredible voice made them temporarily forget about the
pain that was created by the revolution.
In 1977, Sereysothea was forced by Pol Pot to marry one
of his assistants. Sothea was unhappy with the marriage, & the couple
quarreled often. Her new husband was a very jealous person who abused her
because she sang to others. Their violent relationship was causing disturbances
at the work site. Eventually the problem came to the attention of the sub-district
leader, who investigated the situation. It was decided by the Angkar that
they didn't need this disturbance any longer. In 1978, Sereysothea went
missing from the irrigation building site. Like countless others, she simply
disappeared. Some people said that they had seen Ros & her family riding
on a cow cart on Jeum Sangkae road, going to a new town, but no one who
moved out to the ‘new town’ ever return. It is most likely, according to
several fairly reliablr sources, that they were taken into the ‘killing fields’
in the forest south of Trorphaung Phlong & killed.
Classic Cambodian rock music including songs by Sereysothea,
Sinn Sisamouth & others has been featured on the soundtrack to Matt Dillon's
film City of Ghosts.
The film Don't Think I've Forgotten documents the Cambodian rock scene
during the 60s & 70'. The Golden Voice is a short film about
the end of Ros Sereysothea's life. It played at the Beverly Hills Film Festival
2007 & is available on DVD. The Los
Angeles based band Dengue Fever plays in the
style of the classic Cambodian rock bands & covers some Ros Sereysothea
songs.
In the wake of Pol Pot's genocidal rule, Sothea's music
survived only on rare bootlegged cassette tapes & vintage vinyl kept hidden
during the Communist years. The fact that many Cambodians held onto their
copies of these classic songs, despite the risk to their own lives, is a powerful
tribute to the love that the Khmer people have for Sereysothea.
I have tried to do my part to help. This is what I have in
the past on my blog called a mega-post (I’m somewhat of a completist about
certain artists [more than 100 unique Muslimgauze releases,
at least 55 Legendary Pink Dots plus 20 Edward Ka-Spel & various Silverman,
Ryan Moore, Tear Garden, maybe 25+ Zoviet France, well you get the idea] so
hope you don’t think this is overkill). I have compiled nine volumes
here, 116 tracks. They are not arranged by styles, just alphabetically, so if
you want to separate them into various genre, you can.
decryption codes in comments
*******************************************************
Over the last few years The Cambodian Space Project have unleashed
their psychedelic Khmer-rock from the jungles of Cambodia onto the rest of the world.
Their debut album is entitled 2011: A Space Odyssey. CSP has become
favorite band of King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia & the country’s the
unofficial state band. They played for Hillary Clinton during a recent visit to
Cambodia.
Based in Phnom Penh, The Cambodian Space Project are fronted by the playfully charismatic & vocally gifted Srey Thy with a multi-ethnic mixture of Cambodian, Australian, & French musicians making up the rest of the group. A culture-clash of grand proportion, the band combines traditional Khmer songs & instrumentation with Western rock 'n' roll (originally imported by American G.I's back in the 60s & 70s) creating their own unique place in the musical landscape.
Recorded in Cambodia, the
album was made as a tribute to the musicians of Cambodia's musical golden-age,
building on the legacy of the likes of Ros
Sereysothea, Sin Sisamouth,
& Pan Ron.
Most of the tracks on the album were originally written for or by these three legends of Cambodian music, here reworked by CSP with a Western edge. The cross pollination of cultures is perhaps best highlighted on the track 'Kolos Srey Chaom' (Love Gold) where Srey Thy sings the words from a Ros Sereysothea track over Shocking Blue's classic “I'm Your Venus”.
Most of the tracks on the album were originally written for or by these three legends of Cambodian music, here reworked by CSP with a Western edge. The cross pollination of cultures is perhaps best highlighted on the track 'Kolos Srey Chaom' (Love Gold) where Srey Thy sings the words from a Ros Sereysothea track over Shocking Blue's classic “I'm Your Venus”.
The band formed in 2009 when Julien Poulson, an Australian
musician & film producer, was in Phnom
Penh looking for Cambodian musicians with which to
work. He heard lead vocalist Srey Thy singing in a karaoke bar. Within a couple
of months The Cambodian Space Project was born, with Srey as the singer &
lyricist. Up until that point life had been far from easy for Thy. Born into a
poor family in the poverty stricken region of Prey Veng, she began singing in
local restaurants at an early age. Thy left home at the age of 18, heading to
Phnom Penh in search of a better life, but while there she was kidnapped &
nearly forced into a sex trafficking ring. Left tied to a bed with electrical
wires around her wrist for hours, an unknown woman freed her & gave her
$2.50. Thy fled. Following this harrowing moment in her life, Thy went on to
work odd jobs when & where she could, sending money back to her parents
& her young son as often as possible. She now uses her new found fame in
the region to raise awareness of human trafficking in Cambodia
through workshops & public speaking.
The Cambodian Space Project – 2011: A Space Odyssey, Metal
Postcard Records, 2011.
decryption code in comments
decryption code in comments
Tracklist –
Snaeha Doc Toek Kmom (Love like Honey)
Chom 10 Kae Theav (Wait 10 Months More)
Ban Juarp Pros Snae I’ve Met my Love)
Mean Visa Kmean Bai (Have Visa, Have No Rice)
Chnam Oun Dop Pram Mouy (I’m Sixteen)
Tek Tum (Big Water)
Pros Kangaroo (Kangaroo Boy)
Rom Chong Vat a Go Go (Dancing a Go Go)
Kolos Srey Chaom (Love God)
Enjoy,
NØ
Holy karp - thank you!
ReplyDeleteI had heard that karp were holy, just never knew for sure.
DeleteThank you for your comment.
thank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure. Thanks fo0r taking the time to comment. Ros Sereysothea is a real musical treasure & needs to be heard by all.
DeleteThank you so much! This really made my day. Sharing is to culture what water is to life.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the most treasured posts I have ever had the pleasure to read. Thanx so much !!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your wonderful words. Ros Sereysothea is such a special individual & singer. I come back to this post often to re-read her story. i listen to her music often, as well as the others featured here.
DeleteThis is the most Out-There collection of a genre that is far too much overlooked. I thank you profusely...
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for putting all this together!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you have, or could point me even vaguely in the direction of, the original release info for the Ros Sereysothea tracks posted here? I'd love to be able sort through it so I can listen to her music chronologically and set all her fantastic album artwork to the right tracks, but I'm struggling to find any comprehensive discography info online that corresponds to the songs here. Sorry to pester you for more and no worries if you can't help, you've already done so much by assembling this wonderful collection!
For this offering I just posted up most everything of Ros' that I had, put them in alphabetical order. It is hard to cite the exact sources of much of the material because of the language differences (written & tranliterated Cambodian; various translations to Western tongues), because of the political chaos of her time, because of the limited official releases & the overabundance of bootlegged tuneage. If I ever am able to track some of this down, I will try to post up the information. That's all I can do for now. Sorry, but thanks for your interest & inquiry.
DeleteMUCHAS GRACIAS AMIGOS SALUDOS DESDE PUNO
ReplyDeleteGracias por el comentario de Perú
DeleteMen!!!
ReplyDeleteMuchas muchas muchas muchas muchas gracias!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saludos y abrazos desde Panamá
MUCHAAAASSSSS
ReplyDeletehi, thank you a lot for compiling these and sharing the story. just found out about Ros through a compilation and it was very hard to find anything. much love
ReplyDeleteI would love to get my ear mittens on all these gems but unfortunately I am not sure how the decryption codes work? Sorry if being absolutely thick but can someone help?
ReplyDeleteIn order to download, just copy the decryption code for the item you want, select the link from the listing below the album artwork. This will take you to MEGA. They will ask for a decryption code. Paste the code you copied & enter it. You should then be able to download the file.
DeleteI’m not so sure you were being “thick”. I believe the links may have been no longer active. I have re-uploaded everything & the new codes are in the comment below.
Please let me know if this works now. & thanks for the comment
Amazing! thank you so much for reuploading and explaining it to me! I've just got an aching to hear more of Ros's voice.
DeleteWould you mind checking the links for Cambodian Traditional Music and Ros Sereysothea pt 6? I think they're still down or at least for me.
Thanks so much though!
I somehow put the wrong links but the right decryption codes. I fixed the links & the codes in the list are accurate. Thanks for letting me know. Glad you could get some & now the rest.
DeleteOhhh thanks so much! no worries, there's a lot of links to coordinate. thank you so much for sharing and i can't wait to dive right in!
DeleteCambodian Traditional Music
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Ros Sereysothea pt 1
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Ros Sereysothea pt 2
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Ros Sereysothea pt 3
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Ros Sereysothea pt 4
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Ros Sereysothea pt 5
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Ros Sereysothea pt 6
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Ros Sereysothea pt 7
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Ros Sereysothea pt 8
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Ros Sereysothea pt 9
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The Cambodian Space Project
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