Touch Me Not

Three albums in the novelty has worn off, but Dengue Fever has smartly chosen to keep evolving. Venus on Earth is at once the band's most accessible and most varied release. A recap: when first heard from in 2003 on their self-titled debut, Dengue Fever was like no other band, fronted by a Cambodian-born woman, Chhom Nimol, who paid homage to that Asian nation's pre-Pol Pot cheesy psychedelic-cum-lounge-surf-garage pop sound of the '60s/early '70s. For Venus on Earth, the mainstream beckons, or comes as close to beckoning as it's ever going to for a band as non-mainstream as Dengue Fever. Nimol's vocals are as beguiling as ever, Ethan Holtzman's Farfisa organ still swirls, Zac Holtzman's guitars still chime and chunk, and Paul Dreux Smith's drums clang happily along. With horns provided by David Ralicke and bass from Senon Gaius Williams, Dengue Fever has softened some of the rougher edges, injected some serious soul, and added more swing to their thing. "Oceans of Venus" could be an outtake from the first B-52's album, "Clipped Wings" a lost Blondie tune, and "Woman in the Shoes" is just one of the most cuddly pop songs in ages. The groovelicious Nimol-Zac Holtzman duet "Tiger Phone Card," a tale of a long distance Phnom Penh-NYC romance, is the pop smash Yoko Ono might have had in an alternate universe. Drenched in reverb, soaked in sweat, marinated in some phantom historical moment yet tethered to the now, Dengue Fever is more innovative and resourceful than 99-percent of the bands that receive 99 times the publicity. Source: AllMusic

Sober Driver

At the close of 2012, DENGUE FEVER, a band widely recognized for its trademark blend of 60’s Cambodian pop and psychedelic rock, proudly announced the launch of its homegrown label, TUK TUK Records. The band’s newly established independence marks yet another chapter in the continual evolution of a group unlike many in the Los Angeles music scene. 

Currently in the studio recording tracks for their next release, DENGUE FEVER launched TUK TUK to release their back catalog, potential solo music from its band members, and previously released but long out-of-print music related to each band member. Their first two releases included their long out-of-print eponymous debut (2003) and its critically acclaimed sophomore follow-up, Escape from Dragon House (2005). Amazon.com named Dragon House the #1 int’l release for 2005, and Mojo magazine named it in their Top 10 World Music releases of 2006. Each album has been expanded into digital deluxe editions with rare and unreleased bonus tracks from the band’s archives. 

Eminent musicians from around the world took notice of the band’s rise over their first half-decade. In 2008, Real World Records Founder and musician, Peter Gabriel, licensed their third release, Venus on Earth, for the world and noted, "They're California-based but have taken '60's Cambodian pop as their main source of inspiration and it's done with style. Its spirited, impassioned." More kudos came from Metallica’s Kirk Hammett who handpicked the band’s song “One Thousand Tears of A Tarantula” from Dragon House for his Rolling Stone magazine ‘Best Music Of The Decade’ ballot - as the second best song of the entire decade. International touring transpired quickly after the release of Venus including an inspired two-song set on the BBC’s Later with Jools Holland show (2009) followed by on-air praise from Ray Davies of the Kinks. Davies likened them to “….a cross between Led Zeppelin and Blondie. And I should know, I toured with both of them.” 

DENGUE FEVER’s latest release, Cannibal Courtship (Fantasy Records/Concord Music Group), was released in April 2011. Their latest record moved the needle yet again with the band performing live for the first time ever, in France, Mexico and Brazil. Today, only two continents (Africa and Antarctica) have yet to host a DENGUE FEVER performance.

Mass media exposure arrived in many forms for DENGUE FEVER and not just on the world stage. Tracks from their catalog have appeared in films such as City of Ghosts, Jim Jarmusch’s, Broken Flowers and The Hangover 2. Television series’ such as Showtime’s, Weeds, HBO’s hit series True Blood (who named an entire episode after one of their songs) and featured the band’s music and CBS’ series CSI: Las Vegas combined with numerous independent documentaries to feature the bands music. 

Always press darlings, band profiles in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Mojo, Uncut, Magnet, Wired, Spin, NPR’s “Fresh Air” Radio Australia, KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic” and World Café Live all profiled the band’s unique sound. In 2013, with new music being recorded, a back catalog that is beefed up with bonus tracks and tour dates being confirmed, the time is truly ripe for at least another 10 years of breaking down more musical barriers.

Sober Driver

DENGUE FEVER

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