Arôme Khmer: Cambodia's Musical Memory, Between Heritage and Fusion

One name keeps coming up on Phnom Penh's music scene: Arôme Khmer. This fusion band draws on Cambodia's golden era to craft a sound that is thoroughly contemporary, one that appeals equally to fans of Khmer psychedelic rock and to lovers of world music — and it is also a regular presence on the Kep West stage, where it performs once a month.

Eav Sreytouch and Michel Arich on stage at Kep West, 4 July

A band rooted in golden-era heritage

Arôme Khmer is a fusion band based in Phnom Penh. Its artistic identity draws directly on Cambodia's musical golden age, the period stretching from the 1950s to the early 1970s, defined by a vibrant blend of Khmer and Western sounds, psychedelic-tinged guitars and Latin-inspired rhythms. That era, embodied by figures such as Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea, was brutally cut short by the Khmer Rouge regime, which wiped out an entire generation of Cambodian musicians.

By picking up this musical thread, Arôme Khmer takes part in a broader movement of cultural revival in Cambodia, alongside other artists and bands seeking to bring this heritage back to life while reinventing it for today's audiences.

The people behind the sound

At the heart of Arôme Khmer is a trio built around a husband-and-wife duo. Lead vocalist Eav Sreytouch is a Cambodian singer whose delivery draws heavily on the styling of 1960s Khmer icons such as Ros Sereysothea and Pen Ran, bringing an authentic, traditional Khmer soul to the band's sound. On guitar and arrangements is Michel Arich, a French guitarist based in Cambodia, who drives the band's rock and roll side, weaving psychedelic guitar lines and driving grooves into classic Khmer melodies. Completing the line-up is drummer Kannika, a Cambodian percussionist who anchors the band's high-energy, uptempo live sound and gives it its rockiest edge.

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