PREMIERE + INTERVIEW — RSlane – Caravan to Baghdad (dOP Remix) [Duck It Records] [MI4L.com]

Duck It Records is back with their latest EP, “Caravan to Baghdad,” a heartfelt tribute to Hamid Baroudi’s iconic 1990 song. This project honors the spirit and resilience of Iraq, a country that faced devastating bombings. By reimagining Baroudi’s masterpiece, we aim to support and celebrate the enduring culture and strength of the Iraqi people. Join us on this musical journey as we pay homage to a timeless piece of art and stand in solidarity with the humanity. Thirty-four years later, the question remains as relevant as ever !

TC80 and dOP are remixing the game with two electrifying pieces that will redefine the groove !

 

Interview With dOP

What inspired you to reinterpret Hamid Baroudi’s iconic 1990 song “Caravan to Baghdad,” and how did you approach blending modern energy with echoes of the past in your versions?

First of all I fell in love with the original version that Rslane presented to me . The bpm of the original is medium, so I really wanted to make a version playable on the slow dance floors of nowadays. My love for all genres of  Algerian music has been really strong since my youth .

Tell us a little bit about your studio setup and how you made the track or remix?

First to make the remix, Rslane had one file of a certain quality, so I started to dig for a vinyl copy of the song . I asked Victor Kiswell who immediately advised me where to find a copy in Paris. Then I started to work on the stereo file – because we had no stems for this one unfortunately. I made a first version with a lot of respect for the original and Rslane pushed me to go less close to the original. For the additional productions I work with analog and acoustics instruments mostly, pedals and more.

When working on your respective mixes of “Caravan to Baghdad,” what elements did you focus on  to honor the original whilst redefining the groove and bringing your fresh perspective to the track?

For me it’s the bassline first in this song, then the dramatic chords and bridge that brings the release of emotions.

The fusion of deep rhythms and ethereal tones is a hallmark of this EP. How do each of you interpret this contrast in your music, and what emotions or imagery were you aiming to evoke through your versions?

For a remix specially like this one, I choose to focus on different points. First I wanted it hypnotic at the beginning, focused on a short groove section. Then the emotion is mysterious and you feel that the story happens in the Orient. When the chords section comes, Nostalgia gets you, some tears for some cherished moments and places. The ethereal tops are here to remind you that you have to cross a lot of desert to arrive in Baghdad, and have many hallucinations and wanderings on the way.

Remixing can be tricky, how do you go about working a remix so that it enhances the package? and what unique qualities do you bring?

Ahaha I can’t reply to the qualities I bring to the original but I do my best to make my interpretation as personal and passionate as I feel. I love to do remixes when I feel it . Also it was a deep opportunity to pay tribute to Algerian music.

Thirty-four years after the original song’s release, do you believe its message remains relevant today, and what do you hope listeners will take away from your renditions of “Caravan to Baghdad”?

Yes, it’s so real that it ’s almost disturbing. I hope that people over here think about Baghdad in another way than the last decades. That people remember the cultural heritage of this part of the world, that they think about Iraq in a positive way. That we are missing our connection to one of the cradles of humanity.

-Megatronic