There is no perspective of history other than your own, only spectors and impressions, like outline of past furniture traced by dust onto an empty surface. Conflict among competing historical narratives often results in erasure, and the process of recovery — either of one’s personal history, or that of an entire family, or even an ethnicity — can feel as impressionistic as it is archaeological. Conflict in music can be the shrill contrast of a low-fidelity sample scorching a full, pure note of sine-bass; the murmur of a unknown landscape at night, punctuated by foreign insects, mammals, and windsounds; yells, beats, and microphone feedback from festivals. Derichan, the latest tape from Saphy Voy, a.k.a. LAFIDKI, places sounds in combat as if he were a general. Field samples, collected with the help of ethnomusicologist Julien Hairon in 2015, punctuate moments of intense, monolithic electronica: a single bass tone or arpeggio is often alone, sometimes briefly accompanied by a pulsing beat, as on “Poan Pasda.”
Much of LAFIDKI’s music tells of an international history that spans Europe and Cambodia, Paris and Phnom Penh, specifically “ethnic minorities, indigenous people, environmental activists who’ve been killed or jailed in Cambodia.” Derichan, which translates to mean “Bestial,” is a cassette co-released by Chinabot and Bezirk, both international labels situated (somewhat) in London, to “coincide with the traditional Cambodian celebrations of Pchum ben and Bon Om Touk.” To celebrate the release of the album, Chinabot will be hosting Sabiwa, LAFIDKI, Li Yilei, and Jaeho Hwang for a party at Café Oto in London.
Stream Derichan below before its November 2 release date, and check out the Chinabot label for more music that explores the space in between traditional and contemporary Asian culture.
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