Best bet: Dengue Fever plays Southpaw tonight

By Meredith Deliso

Southpaw is home to some Cambodian cool tonight, as Dengue Fever comes to the Park Slope venue for a rare intimate show.

The LA band is known for its eccentric lyrics and worldly mix of 1960s surf-pop and psychedelic rock that’s an homage to a bygone era of Southeast Asian rock.

The group broke out in 2008 with its third album, “Venus on Earth,” which showcased its campy humor, epitomized by that disease-referencing name, and catchy guitar riffs on “Tiger Phone Card” and “Sober Driver,” which comment on the peculiarities of modern relationships.

The band’s newest album, “Cannibal Courtship,” has a similar vibe, with its blend of surfer rock, Cambodian folk and dark humor that further explores complicated couples.

But the real treat is frontwoman Chhom Nimol. The Phnom Penh native sings in a captivating, sultry mix of English and Khmer that’s perfect for the band’s power pop ballads and haunting melodies. Sure, you can’t understand her half the time, but it still sounds great.

Dengue Fever at Southpaw [125 Fifth Ave. at Sterling Place in Park Slope, (718) 230-0236], Aug. 3 at 9 pm. Tickets $15. For info, visit spsounds.com.