Remixed - Acid Arab (Crammed Discs)

 

Title: Remixed 

Artist: Acid Arab

Label: Crammed Discs

Cat Number: cram 2925

Genre: Polyvalent

01: Laba Staifia (Ammar 808 Remix)

02: La Hafla (Delmore Remix)

03: Staifia (Polo & Pan Remix)

04: Ejma (The Reflex Revision)

05: Soulan (Laolu Remix)

06: Rajel (Mr Boom Remix)

07: Stil (Frankie Lluc Remix)

08: Staifia (Acid Arab’s Metal Dance Version)

09: Ras El Ain (3phaz Remix)

10: Nassibi (Golden Bug Remix)

11: Stil (VoX LoW Remix)

A remix package indeed, and virgin territory for me as, even though I’ve heard of Acid Arab, I can’t say I’ve ever listened in much detail. And I suppose a collection of rerubs isn’t really them is it? Not to worry. I enter with eyes and ears and mind wide open. And it’s really very good in parts. The first track to grab me is ‘La Hafla (Delmore Remix)’ which could easily be a staple on the discerning chug dance floor. ‘Staifia (Polo & Pan Remix)’  ‘Laba Staifia (Ammar 808 Remix)’ & ‘Nassibi (Golden Bug Remix)’ have a similar vibe. There is, however, a tendency to overplay the almost comical, at times, mystique in the form of instrumental hooks. ‘Soulan (Laolu Remix)’ is a low slung piece of desert blues that seems to take inspiration equally from Ali Farka Toure and The Eagles, and ‘Stil (Frankie Lluc Remix)’ is a piece of hypnotic minimalism that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Barac set. On the other hand, there are pieces which go in completely the opposite direction, such as ‘Ras El Ain (3phaz Remix)’ which offers a schizophrenic insight into the aural underbelly of Cairo during the graveyard shift. A great album to listen to in it’s entirety and get lost in, in spite of any potetial uneveness due to it’s breadth of diversity, as well as to cherry pick from.