Arto Lindsay

Origin

Richmond, VA

Years Active

1978

Genres

no wave, MPB, bossa nova, experimental rock, tropicalia

Instruments

vocals, guitar

Biography

Arto Lindsay is an American singer, guitarist, producer, and composer who spent his formative years living in Brazil due to his missionary parents. Growing up in Garanhuns and Recife during the culturally vibrant period of the tropicalista movement deeply impacted his artistic sensibilities, shaping a lifelong connection to Brazilian music. Later relocating to New York, he became a prominent figure in the downtown underground scene, co-founding the no wave band DNA and playing in groups like The Lounge Lizards and The Golden Palominos.

As his career progressed, Lindsay increasingly integrated Brazilian genres such as bossa nova and tropicalia into his work, notably with his band Ambitious Lovers alongside keyboardist Peter Scherer. By the mid-1990s, he launched a solo career that heavily emphasized his Brazilian roots, frequently singing in Portuguese and collaborating with acclaimed artists like Vinícius Cantuária and Tom Jobim. His innovative sound blends experimental guitar techniques with traditional Brazilian rhythms and contemporary electronic music.

Throughout his extensive career, Lindsay has collaborated with a vast array of prominent musicians, bridging avant-garde rock and Brazilian popular music. He has worked alongside influential Brazilian icons such as Caetano Veloso, Marisa Monte, Arnaldo Antunes, and Krisma. His unique artistic vision continues to be celebrated for its seamless fusion of noisy deconstruction and tropical sensuality.

Discography

• Arto Lindsay / Ambitious Lovers – Envy (1984)
• Arto Lindsay / Ambitious Lovers – Let's Be Adult (1984)
• Vertical's Currency (1986)
• Peter Scherer & Arto Lindsay – Pretty Ugly (1990)
• O Corpo Sutil = The Subtle Body (1995)
• Hyper Civilizado (Arto Lindsay Remixes) (1996)
• Mundo Civilizado (1996)
• Noon Chill (1997)
• Reentry (1997)
• Piccola Orchestra Avion Travel, Arto Lindsay – Dormi e Sogna (1998)
• Prize (1999)
• DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid + Arto Lindsay – Form Or Function (1999)
• Ecomixes (2000)
• Ecomixes Two (2000)
• Ecomixes One (2000)
• Invoke (2002)
• Salt (2004)
• Arto Lindsay, Paal Nilssen-Love – Scarcity (2013)
• Cuidado Madame (2017)
• Arto Lindsay & Hideo Yamaki – U Turn (2018)
• Arto Lindsay / Ken Vandermark / Joe McPhee / Phil Sudderberg – Largest Afternoon (2019)
• Charivari (2022)
• I Had A Fever When (2023)
• 7 Types Of Ambiguity - A Parade (2024)