I don't have much in the way of context for this release and not much to say about it, but I do find it interesting and would like to turn other people on to it if possible. This is a small collection of field recordings collecting the performances of a man who goes by Uncle Nop Nen as he performs both traditional Cambodian folk songs and original compositions on his two-string chapei dang veng. I really enjoy the thin and deeply reedy quality of the instrument on these recordings. It sounds both sinewy and rarefied, specific in a way to the singer, as is extracted from his body and then woven by hand into delightful, transportive patterns. I'm not used to hearing music this arpeggiated either, and its clarity is a pleasant break from the business of most Western music. I recommend grabbing some tea, putting on your headphones and doing nothing for the next twenty minutes while it plays. That's what I'm up to this Friday night, and it's cathartic, and forcing me to reflect on how important it is to simply clear your schedule to think and sort your emotions throughout the day and into the evening. And just as importantly, to hear something you haven't heard before, and welcome it to excite your senses.
