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Dim Sum Down-low

Dim Sum Down-low: DJ Chee warms your heart with his massive vinyl collection

The Cambodian DJ picks five soulful albums that promise to brighten your day

LiFTED | DJ Chee | 1 Jun 2021


What do you do besides music? LiFTED takes the long-loved afternoon talks at a dim sum joint in Asia to get the scoop of what artists enjoy besides making music in Dim Sum Down-low. This month, our spotlight shines on a Cambodian national treasure, DJ Chee, and his love for vinyl.

KLAPYAHANDZ’s DJ Chee is a household name in the Cambodian underground scene with loads of hit tracks under his belt. While his immense passion for dance music shines through his work, it may come as a surprise that Chee has a profound love for the classics, so much so that he has an entire collection of vinyl spanning nearly every genre in music.

“Vinyl is simply different. You have to put extra effort into handling vinyl. Not to mention cleaning it regularly and storing them in the inner sleeves. Vinyl is extra fun whenever my friends come over because I get to physically pick out the records and share them with my homies. In fact, I put on a record to set my mood once I wake up every day. Hearing music over a record player brings more texture than a bluetooth speaker," DJ Chee said.

“The following 5 albums I chose are very diverse musically speaking. They are all of various genres with drastically different tones, yet they all share one thing in common - all are soulful classics that warm your heart.”

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Bob Marley & The Wailers

Legend

Put out in 1984, the compilation album released by Island Records is the best-selling Reggae album of all time with a total of 14 tracks from the Jamaican pioneer. While many purists diss greatest hits packages, no one can deny that Legend authentically samples the essence of Bob Marley and his excellence in contemplating humanity. “Bob Marley always spread the message of love and peace through his songwriting. His songs are calming, joyous, and they bring inner peace.”

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ELTON JOHN

CARIBOU

The eighth studio album from the English singer took only nine days to record. Despite being under tremendous pressure as Elton John was constantly touring, Caribou carries on his endearing style that fuses the addictive rock rhythm with his alluring piano. ‘I love Elton John! Most of his songs are just him playing pianos like a madman, but if you listen carefully, Elton is speaking to you as if you are his piano. That level of emotional investment is simply beautiful.’

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ELVIS PRESLEY

40 GREATEST HITS

Who doesn’t love Elvis Presley? By modernizing traditional genres such as Blues, Country, and Bluegrass with a head-bopping and heart-throbbing tempo, The King of Rock and Roll dominated the globe as he captured everyone’s hearts with his husky vocal performances and charismatic on-stage presence. “Elvis’ music is exhilarating. His deep voice mashes with that ‘50s Rock and Roll sound, and it cheers me up every time I put it on. It’s like refueling my spirit at a gas station.”

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QUEEN

SHEER HEART ATTACK

Queen is undoubtedly a staple to the modern rock genre, inspiring millions of musicians of later generations. Regarded as one of best Rock bands of all time, Queen’s third album Sheer Heart Attack, released in 1974, included some of the biggest hits like the proggessive-sounding ‘Flick of the Wrist’ and Western-inspired ‘Brighton Rock.’ ‘My personal favorite has to be Killer Queen. The combination of Freddie Mercury’s voice and the sturdy guitar lines from Brian May is a pleasure for the ears. I will loop this album nonstop whenever I am doing house chores. Sweeping, dish-washing, mopping, nothing really matters to me when Queen is playing.’

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BOB DYLAN

1970 [50th Anniversary Collection]

Bob Dylan has been an inspiration to songwriters all over the world during his 60-year career. The Folk-Rock master has been meticulously layering out his wisdom with his everlasting songs, proving to the world music is one of the most influential art forms ever. 1970 is a celebration of the Nobel Prize winner, including unreleased outtakes from the sessions that produced ‘Self Portrait’ and ‘New Morning’ as well as the complete May 1, 1970 studio recordings with George Harrison, which capture the pair performing together on nine tracks. ‘Dylan’s immense talents enlighten me as a musician. His guitar blends seamlessly with the poetic lyrics is a gift that no one could take away! I have so much respect for him as a musician. This album is easily one of my favorites.’