Known for their eclectic variety and unique twist on electronic music in the East, Acid Arab remains a pretty unknown duo here in the US. Well, sit back, relax and enjoy your flight because I’m about to demystify Acid Arab and what they are all about.
Acid Arab is the culturally diverse creation of Asma & Guendiz aka Hervé Carvalho & Guido Minisky. They’ve recently released a remix for Marie Madeliene’s “Love Suicide,” which by the way makes you wish you knew how to belly dance, and plan to release exclusive tracks via Versatile Records in the future à la Acid Arab. Their projects don’t stop there though. With both a single featuring I:Cube and Omar Souleyman remixed by Crackboy and an album that includes producers like Pilooski, Jared Wilson, DJ Gilb’r, DJ Grégory, Professor Genius, Society of Silence, Hugo Capablanca, etc, these boys have their plates full. Somehow though, they made the room to answer a couple questions for me this past week and shine a little light on what they love about what they do and just exactly who Acid Arab is. You might even learn a couple travel tips.
“DJ Gilb’r offered to release our music on his label and helped us create the record. We owe him big time.”
What are you currently listening to, any particular songs that you can’t get out of your head?
Mohamed Mazouni “Ecoute-moi Camarade”
Abstraxion “Just Acid” (In Flangranti RMX)
The Gaslamp Killer “Nissim”
Do you think Paris has influenced your music style?
Paris has always been the place where all musical cultures could express themselves. It’s called “Sono mondiale.”
What do you like to do in your free time when you aren’t traveling or making music?
Eating kebabs, drinking mint tea.
How and why did you get your start? Any interesting anecdotes there? Is there anyone you owe “big time?” Why?
Acid Arab was born in Djerba, Tunisia. We were invited to play for a festival and fell in love with culture and music from North Africa, as well as Middle East, Turkey, India, etc. We began to dig in our record collections, then in our friends’, then everywhere, to constitute a collection of tracks that would fit in our concept. DJ Gilb’r offered to release our music on his label and helped us create the record. We owe him big time.
“It’s so crowded that getting to the bar is a 25-minute walk. We couldn’t think of a better atmosphere for our thing.”
Tell me about your most memorable night out.
We had several great nights with Acid Arab. One was with our hero Baris K at the Wanderlust (Paris), for the first time we felt that people were here to listen and dance to oriental underground music. Baris played the game with pleasure and told us it was one of his best gigs.
We sense that our most memorable night will be in April, when we’ll play with Omar Souleyman at La Gaité Lyrique in Paris to celebrate the release of our EP.
Which do you prefer, a smoky, low-lit club or a big stage with bright lights and colored gels?
Acid Arab residence is in a small club called Chez Moune. It’s so small we have to welcome dancers in the booth with us. It’s so crowded that getting to the bar is a 25-minute walk. We couldn’t think of a better atmosphere for our thing.
But of course we dream of playing in the desert in front of a huge crowd.
What’s the hardest lesson you’ve ever learned? How did it make your life easier—or more difficult?
Don’t use a picture of a woman in niqab [that's a "veil" or "mask" -ED] on a flyer: it’s offensive for women and it prevents Arabic people to come to your party. Also, when in Marrakech, don’t eat finger food on Jemaa El Fna square.
Discuss a musician or an era which has influenced you. When and how did you come upon what moved you
Bellydance, Bollywood, 80’s Chicago, Manchester. Suddenly it all made sense.
Follow Acid Arab on: Facebook | Soundcloud
