ABSTRACT
This chapter positions the Arab diasporas of Toronto and Montreal and analyses the sonic qualities produced by those communities. It holds a reflexive account of the Arab sonic imaginary: the political, environmental, cultural and aesthetic values that surround, echo in, and embed underground electronic dance music (EDM) in Canada produced and performed by Arab DJs and musicians. This chapter investigates the Arab+EDM equation as ‘post-tarab’, a space for community building and a response to ‘Othering’ in the diaspora. It is an ethnographic archive of EDM performance, sound, expressive arts and the contexts of their production in Toronto and Montreal. The interdisciplinary elements of this archive add to existing conversations about music as a central element that forms bonds between individuals. This study aims to establish a deeper understanding of contemporary, Arab, expressive culture as a vehicle for social and political transformation.
