Rainbow Arabia

• Boys and Diamonds [Kompakt, 2011] A-

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Boys and Diamonds [Kompakt, 2011]
Arabia? What Arabia? Euro synth duo, tuneful and sometimes haunting, always droney fun--textured, beaty lines under an unnaturally high-voiced girly-woman singing lyrics of no importance when you can make them out, which isn't often. Then I learned: L.A. husband-and-wife duo, latter named Tiffany, her accented English one affectation among many. They hit upon their sound after purchasing a Casio preprogrammed with microtonal scales and Middle Eastern rhythm bits, both of which loom larger on their two mildly enjoyable EPs. Hence a hopefully intentioned band name unlikely to further the cause of peace in a war-torn world where those scales and rhythms have been adopted as silly pop staples already. Think Fever Ray sans dark side. Better still, don't think at all. A-