The band, or at least the incarnation I witnessed, is comprised at the core of co founders Srey Channthy, the Cambodian born lead singer, and Julien Poulson, the band’s guitar player from Australia. I believe that the rest of the band’s line up changes or morphs depending on the show or continent in which they are playing. The band opened the show with a beautiful vocal arrangement by Srey backed only by Poulson’s guitar. The lovely yet sad song, as is the case with many of CSP songs, was a reflection of the turbulence and violent history of Cambodia’s recent past/modern history. The civil war and subsequent genocide and severe political oppression of Cambodia’s people that flared in the 1970’s obviously gives great substance and context to the music, arts and culture that come from the country and its people today.

With CSP this is no exception. Srey’s personal history is staggeringly intense, and, along with the adoption or infusion of western music, specifically rock and roll, from the 60’s and 70’s we see the synthesis of the Cambodian Space Project’s sound. Through the civil war and genocide in Cambodia, the government banned music and more or less the arts altogether. Crazy. The style of CSP and many of the cross cultural bands of Cambodia without a doubt reflect the resolution or continuation of the styles that were popular when all of this madness occurred. Poulson’s guitar tones evoke big time southern California and British Rickenbacker vibes.