this week's post comes courtesy of the wonderful folks at the cambodian vintage music archive! they collect & share songs from the "golden era" of khmer popular music (1950s-1970s), across a number of online platforms.. follow their facebook page for all their latest uploads

artists: various
album: sunday productions, vol. 103; hol pha moung khmer
tracklist:
01. hol pha moung khmer
sung by keammorak sayraymoun
02. shdie sreay kor min phor
sung by keammorak sayraymoun
03. chnam thmie sreay min phor
sung by keammorak sayraymoun
04. chorng touv na noun lorng
sung by meas saly
05. srear khrong chit khnear
sung by molika
06. mom phrie chor
sung by keammorak sayraymoun & keammorak sreaypovkhor
07. songsha khgnom eruy
sung by meas saly & molikaour
08. ouk dog long sneh kom phog cham
sung by keammorak sayraymoun
09. chom reang chun por kashi kor khmer
sung by meas saly
10. chagn neang luk prohok
sung by molika
11. bong khmer phun khmer
sung by meas saly

every now and then, i get requests for certain artists or styles that people are interested in hearing more from. over anything else, i'd say music in the kantruem style is the most requested, so when i came across this album recently (despite it being released across the border in cambodia) i couldn't resist sharing.  kantruem is a music associated with the khmer people in the southern edge of thailand's northeast, and much like contemporary molam, modern kantruem is characterized by elements of the minority's folksong superimposed upon thai popular song structure.  this album, featuring various singers from phnom penh's "sunday productions" group, is quite good.  if you can look past the slick production, there are some very interesting instrumental flourishes (whether from the classic fiddle or the synths), and the whole thing has a great energy that's tough to deny.  enjoy!