Description
“Sudanese rhythms, psychedelic funk and jazz collide in Scorpios’ third album, Lemon Barah!”
Everyone who assumed the Afro7 label was defunct was wrong, because here is the third Scorpios album — and believe us, it’s a good one!
Scorpios began in London in 2013, originally formed by Adam Bulewski and Osman Babu Mohamed as part of a mental health outreach project at a Sudanese community centre. Drawing on Adam’s fascination with 1950s and ’60s Sudanese 7-inch records, and the deep musical backgrounds of the Sudanese musicians around him — many of whom had left Sudan in the 1980s and been involved in important Sudanese musical projects — the lineup soon expanded and developed a unique blend of Sudanese rhythms, funk and jazz.
The band has built a strong live following over the past 13 years, playing extensively across London and elsewhere in England, while also taking their sound to audiences around Europe. Their energetic live shows have consistently found receptive crowds, proving that the music works just as powerfully in front of an audience as it does on record.
The success lies in their cross-fusion of Sudanese traditional rhythms and songs with a more Western-oriented psychedelic, funky groove, played by an orchestra of musicians with diverse, cross-border backgrounds. All the right ingredients are here: interwoven percussion beneath the lovely voices of Regaia Ishag and Osman Gerein; wobbling analogue synth patterns and studio touches from Adam Bulewski, who also plays guitar alongside lead guitarist Yasir Taha; a proper, fluid horn section featuring Dawid Frydryk and Sue Lynch; Will Robert on drums; and Jamaican Ronnie Maxwell on bass (everyone thinks he’s from Sudan!). Main percussionist Osman Gerein is joined by Joao Paulo, who adds further percussion, including conga sessions, while the legendary Mimi Kombayashi from Japan plays keys — listen to her encore on the final track.
The album is entitled Lemon Barah, named after the western regions of Sudan, where this citrus fruit is said to grow especially large and beautiful.
Record comes limited to 500 copies. Enjoy!
