For some, the term ‘world music’ still conjures up images of tie dyed tunics and florescent face paint. But this stigma is fading as revellers bring to the dancefloor an ever-greater familiarity with a myriad of musical genres. Flying the flag for world music this month is Edinburgh’s Departure Lounge, still riding high following a Hogmanay special that took place in the newly extended The Caves and packed in 1000 revellers. The venue’s Astroboy and colleagues have invited Spiritual South, aka Mark Robertson, to share his own take on worldwide future music.

‘I come from a very clubby background and understand that side of things,’ says Robertson. ‘But then because I have such an affinity with Brazilian music, for some unknown reason, I tend to sort of meld the two and it seems quite natural for me to do that.’ Robertson fittingly describes his original Spiritual South events as, ‘championing world music with a club angle to it, rather than socks and sandals.’

With an album on the way on Raw Fusion (and ongoing side projects such as GAMM’s Sugarloaf Gangsters and the Ultimate Brazilian Breaks & Beats compilation) Robertson’s ‘now sounds with organic Brazilian elements’ are to be joined on this bill by Dougie Salsa Celtica Hudson’s lively new Afro-centric project, The Den Collective, and the following evening in Glasgow by Samba Ya Bamba for a Bebado Carnival Special. So, if it’s the Samba or the squelch that bumps your rump, Spiritual South should cure all your cravings. (Mark Edmundson)
Departure Lounge, The Caves Edinburgh, Fri 1 Feb; Bebado Carnival Special, Classic Grand, Glasgow, Sat 2 Feb