John Pirozzi's documentary looks at Cambodia's music culture before the encroachment of the Vietnam War, and the subsequent genocide under Pol Pot, during which musicians and other artists had to lie about what they did to avoid being summarily executed. While it existed, Cambodia's music scene had plenty to offer both the young and old, and the lo-fi recording technology combined with the sheer energy of the performances by the Cliff Richard-inspired Baksei Cham Krung or the surf-heavy Bayon Band give the music a kind of timelessness.
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