Drawing on traditional repertoire has been a constant feature of Arhai’s electro material and the initial common ground on which Jovana Backovic and Adrian Lever met. With a stripped-down acoustic line up of Jovana’s vocal’s, tarabouka (drum) and piano/organ, and Adrian’s tambura (8-string Balkan lute) and acoustic guitar, the duo deliver everything from characteristic irregular-meter dance songs to achingly beautiful ballads and love songs.    

Arhai have gigged acoustically in the past at the University of East Anglia, Norwich Arts Centre, Goldsmith’s University, and The Green Note, including lecture recitals of music of the Balkan region. They are currently working on an acoustic LP exploring the many songs about, or influenced by, birds, and are looking forward to performing this material around the UK and Europe in 2020. 

‘Jovana Backovic’s vocals are superb, and both her and Adrian Lever’s musicianship are outstanding’. “ethereal, almost otherworldly attraction….simply irresistible.”  Rainlore’s World

‘Backovic and Lever have recorded a wonderful album between New Age, Folk and Electronic, the compositions and arrangements are dazzling and they are inspired musicians’  Folkworld Magazine