Arto Lindsay

The Profile

Arto Lindsay is an American guitarist, singer, and producer known for co-founding the no wave band DNA and the duo Ambitious Lovers. Raised in Brazil, he fuses Brazilian music with experimental and no wave approaches, and has collaborated widely, including production work for Caetano Veloso.

Born in the United States in 1953 and raised in Brazil; co‑founder of DNA; formed Ambitious Lovers with Peter Scherer; active since the late 1970s; recognized for integrating Brazilian styles (including bossa nova/MPB inflections) with experimental/no wave guitar; has produced work for artists such as Caetano Veloso.

A laudatory review positions Arto Lindsay within the late-’70s New York avant scene and highlights his roles in DNA and Ambitious Lovers, plus production for Caetano Veloso and David Byrne. Mundo Civilizado (1997) blends Sonic Youth-like extremism with bossa nova, light electronics, and trip‑hop accents. The album is praised as eclectic yet approachable, a late-’90s touchstone that foreshadows his more electrified later work like Invoke.