The Scorpios

Hailing from Central Sudan and now based in London after fleeing the fundamentalist takeover in that region, the Scorpios are a band that melds Arabic rhythms and guitar chops (and a kind of swooning cyclical ecstasy) with a raw Eastern funk feel, properly dismantling cultural barriers in pursuit of a unifying rhythmic bliss. Supported by an international backing band heavy bass, synths, horns and percussions drive through traditional Sudanese forms to create a sound that owes as much to Detroit as it does to Khartoum. Mesmerising forward looking fusion.