Cut a Rug and Take a Magic Carpet Ride With Acid Arab's Middle Eastern-Inflected Techno at Dada, May 12

Even if you can't imagine dancing to traditional Middle Eastern and North African rhythms, Acid Arab will make you wriggle and writhe like a charmed snake, a charmed snake among many in the darkness of Dada this Friday (May 12).

A few years back The Guardian lauded Acid Arab – the chosen moniker of Parisian turntable specialists Guido Minisky and Hervé Carvalho – for not just "walloping a couple of samples over a beat" but instead "creating a new kind of fusion." Their hypnotic take on acid house and techno climax on tracks like "La Hafla" and "Le Disco" (both from their 2016 album Musique de France) and certainly live up to such high praise, thanks to their luscious incorporation of flutes and rattling percussion.

The duo's inclusion of scorching, desert sun-kissed vocals on "Gul l'Abi" (which features enchanting songstress A-WA) and "Stil" (which has the purring singing voice of Cem Yildiz), also make the album feel like a finely curated selection of some of the region's best singers.

Aside from Musique de France, Acid Arab have also released a smattering of singles and EPs that are equally enthralling. As The Guardian article points out, debates about cultural appropriation (i.e. ripping off) always rage whenever artists with an output like Acid Arab's are discussed. But judging by the unique angles and intricate elements of their approach, not to mention working with likeminded musicians from the regions that inspire them, the pair are true to their trade instead of just sampling with abandon. Acid Arab really do seem to have nobler, more artistically sound intentions than some cultural looters who break onto the airwaves with cherry-picked foreign elements in their songs.

Regardless, Acid Arab's music will at the very least make for a uniquely fun night out at Dada for anyone looking to cut a rug to rhythms that soar like a magic carpet ride.

Acid Arab will perform at Dada on May 12 at 10pm. Ticket prices TBA, for more information click here. Also be sure to check out Acid Arab's Soundcloud here.

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Photo: Control-Club, Boulevard