Rainbow Arabia: Local Bands We Love

From KCRW Volunteer Sierra Drucker

Echo Park’s very own husband and wife duo, Danny and Tiffany Preston share their distinct brand of music as the band Rainbow Arabia. They recently released the full length “Boys and Diamonds” (Kompakt), delivering a considerably evolved sound, while staying true to their progressive tendencies.

On this album especially, they carved out that delicate balance between avant-garde and pop by fusing genres in unexpected harmony. You’ll get a real sense of this from their first single “Without You.”

Those biting vocals lay perfectly over pseudo-African instrumentation. Effected drums beat out tribal danceable rhythms yielding comparisons to The Knife and Fever Ray and a real art-house appeal.

Rainbow Arabia defy classification, proudly thriving in their own unique world while renouncing all ties to a particular time or place. While their cultural influences are wide, they share a common visceral and spontaneous quality that is either meticulously thought-out or wonderfully improvised to stunning results. My guess is it’s a mixture of both.

“Boys and Diamonds” is an album that requires several listens to fully appreciate. I continue to hear new and surprising elements on each new run-through. I suggest you get yourself a copy and do the same.