Music in Exile

You know this is the shit I’m here for

Clearly inspired by the late, great Ali Farka Touré, Songhoy Blues brings the same unstoppable energy to their music that made Ali so influential. "Music in Exile" is powerful and moving in a way that modern American blues so often isn't. The electric tones of Muddy Waters and Albert King find whole new dimensions when they're shaped and guided by the unexpected rhythms and patterns of Malian music. It's a whole vibe and I couldn't be more here for it. I don't understand a word that's being said and I don't care. This is just so damn good.

Something about African rock always excites me—these distant cousins just sound right together. This record really succeeds in incorporating western influences in a natural way, on top of the Malian Blues that’s already an exciting hybrid. There is also a lot of variety here, from the rock focused Soubor to the Ali Farka Toure influenced Wayei to the acoustic Petit Metier. Musicianship is great, vocals are great. Plus the record is an act of defiance against repression and religious fundamentalism, so what more could you ask for?

Desert blues, you say? Also known as Tishoumaren, you say? Tishoumaren , which is based on a french word meaning 'Unemployed', you say? EXILES YOU SAY? Five stars, I say.

I used to get a lot of mileage out of "Soubour" in my spinning classes. I like the driving beat and bluesy, guitar-up-front sound, as well as the fact they all sing. The song-writing is good. They stick to their style but the songs vary enough to keep it interesting. I only listened to it once, so I'll assume I would have liked it even more second time round.

vibrant music from Mali, swinging and righteous

This is by far the best non-English language album I’ve gotten on this list so far. It’s exactly my type of blues rock and every song is a banger from start to finish but especially soubour and petit metier. Even if I can’t understand I can feel the political message through the music and that’s just the icing on the cake for a great album; would kill to hear it live. Also, this has been a great run of albums the past week or two

Musically this was great, and I am sure based on the wiki that this tells a great story, however partly due to the language barrier it wasn't for me

I didn't hate it you know. A bit like that Chesterfield Middlesbrough Fa Cup semi final in 1997.

This is an absolutely stellar album. A while back on this list, I get Savane by Ali Farka Touré, and this album reminded me a lot of that, which makes sense as they were influenced by him. It's really cool to see people from all over the world pick up American Blues Rock and make it their own. The guitar work on the album is incredible, both intricate and filled with emotion. I've been lamenting recently that I've been getting a lot of albums that are cool and significant, but aren't worthy of 5 stars on first listen. This album cured that. I loved the sound of it from the beginning of the first song, and every song after that was great, and then the album ended and I was sad 5/5

this is belting. they're all called toure or dembele so they're probably fucking mint at football too. does this mean i'm a world music guy now? man i'm old. what time is giles peterson on?

This was a nice album, reminded me a bit of Power of One. Not sure why it's on this list but glad it is just for the variety and it not being a british rock band.

Only need to hear the first 2 songs to see that I was going to enjoy this album. Amazing discovery!!!

This is something I would never have been aware of but for this project. The mix of “desert blues” and rock is remarkable, I absolutely love it! I was drawn to this immediately and each listen opens up more of this to me. The guitars are amazing. Reading the backstory of the group it is amazing how joyful music about dislocation and trauma can be. So glad to have encountered this!

These guys know how to play! Too often the blues can be boring, but these guys know how to tear it up. The language barrier is detrimental unfortunately. It’s not their fault, but I am the one doing the ranking. So the lack of my understanding the words prevents me from truly understanding the whole package. One thing I did pick up on is that the lyrics were often repetitive. From a not knowing the language point of view, I think the repetition would be more of a negative if I did know the language. One last comment on the fuckers who ran these guys out of their homeland. What kind of asshole do you have to be to not realize what a treasure their music is? This part of their story bumps them up a 1/2 star.

An early example of the safe bet desert blues a sizeable swathe of music crit publications still have an appetite for. Distinctly Saharan sans any especially peculiar instruments or tones, and, crucially, containing nothing to threaten sacred ideas of what constitutes rock and pop. Not knocking the group, just the framework for sticking them in the pantheon. This is nice. Try the Dakhla Sahara Session from Cheveu and Group Doueh from roughly the same time for a more incendiary and politically-charged example of the same kind of music.

Great album. It's rare that I fall in love with something on the first listen, but this did it for me!

Yeah, I loved this - could happily listen to Mali's desert blues all day! Super interesting to hear fragments of rock n roll picked up and woven into their own tradition. Fave track - "Soubour" is a great opener. "Wayei" for something on the chiller side...

Ah, this was brilliant. So laid-back and enjoyable.

Oddly catchy and enjoyable. I liked the album and would listen again.

ЧЁРНОЕ НА БЕЛОМ КТО-ТО БЫЛ НЕ ПРАВ Я ВНЕПЛАНОВЫЙ СЫН АФРИКАНСКИХ ТРАВ

Brabos

Another hidden gem, this was great.

I don't know their language. But listening to this I could hear protest, heartbreak, confussion, happiness. Everything was genuine and compelling. I liked the music as well. This was worth the listen

Sometimes it's nice listening to musics in languages I don't know for the poetry of the sound. I found that I was able to appreciate the voice as an instrument rather than vocals since I didn't know what was being said. I thought the rest of the music was also easy to listen to and enjoy. I wasn't expecting blues music from west Africa but I can see myself coming back to this one.

Great recommendation that I would not have discovered on my own

After a week of receiving dubious albums this was a nice surprise. I'm a big fan of music from Mali but there's no delicate string sounds of the Kora here, this is predominantly pretty heavy blues infused electric guitar. Wiki shows that they started out covering Ali Farka Toure, but despite having the same surname there isn't any relation. I guess Toure is the Smith of Mali. I shake my head when I read that many folks dismissed this album because they don't understand the lyrics. I guess they're also the same folks that also don't watch foreign flicks with subtitles. Oh well, their loss, they're missing out on some pretty soulful and glorious music.

sounded like Muddy Waters went overseas

An interesting melding of Eastern music and American Blues. I really did not care for it overall. I think the musicianship was fine but I did not care for the vocals. I liked "Soubour" and "Nick" but the rest of the songs were just meh. I feel like this album would not be included in the list if it weren't for the Band's backstory and the obstacles they overcame to create their music.

This is #day60 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge. While I sympathize with the band's backstory and the hurdles they had to overcome before creating music, I agree that this album wouldn't have made it to the list otherwise. Generally, I don't mind blues, but this... I just can't relate to what I hear on this album. Maybe I'm numb. Sorry, this is a one-off experience for me. I'm giving it a 1 out of 5. Looking forward to # day 61.

A superb album, an absolute joy to listen to. This is the kind of music I came to this list to discover.

4.5 stars. Opening riff shreds and from there on its just a great blues rock album. Fun and different that it's not in English, but the guitars from this Mali-based group just carry the listener on an enjoyable ride. Standouts are "Soubour" and "Al Hassidi Terei".

Ok, I didn't understand a word and frankly I don't care. This album grabbed me from the first note and I will definitely be revisiting it.

Unexpected 5*, loved seeing something different.

I'm digging this album! Every track is smooth, bluesey, and engaging. Great recording quality, too!

Very groovy album

Didn't understand the words at all, but sonically, it was cool.

Yes! Uplifting rhythms, fun to listen to. Absolutely will get back to it in the future.

What a pleasure this album was

Loved this. No clue what they are saying in any of the songs, but had great sounds and would be great background noise.

This album was a lot of fun

so it starts out sounding like some southern type of blues but when the vocals hit it changes completely. really good album, proves that good music can transcend language barriers. also the story behind it is really interesting too.

My first exposure to desert rock is Mdou Moctar. There's just something so metal about desert rebels wielding an electric guitar. And Moctar's music is certainly what one would expect: epic, electrifying, and explosive. "Music in Exile", however is different. Instead of erupting in mind-blowing electric guitar driven fire, they instead took it easy and just created the grooviest brand of blues I have ever heard. The guitars are amazing in their own way, and the tunes are spot-on. Instead of powerful rebels making stormy statements in the middle of the desert, they created an image of a community channeling their emotions into danceable grooves, letting the energy build up and take them somewhere spiritually uplifting. A down-to-earth masterpiece of the genre.

Lively and solid throughout. But unlike some albums from Saharan Africa, the songs have variety and flow. This was a great discovery

Thoroughly enjoyed, never heard of the before though

Amazing stuff. Turns out I love desert rock! And these guys could rock with some of the best. I was wondering if the list would have albums from outside NA or EU. Happy to see that it does, happy to see that these men from Mali are not an obscure group, and happy that they have finally reached me. This band has a cohesive overall sound while the album features slower songs, faster songs, upbeat songs and more melancholic songs. They show experience and versatility. First album that's going into my library. I can see myself listening to this band more often in the future.

Never heard of these guys before, this kicks ass though. Listened to it 3 times through without getting bored, so I'm pretty sure it justifies the rating.

What a discovery this is. Played this non-stop during a whole working day. Beautiful rhythm, the voices combine perfectly. Happy to be in this 1001 albums adventure

This is the kind of discovery I’m looking for by doing the 1001 albums. This is a great story for blues music. Black music from America influencing African musicians. Not as flashy or focused on lead guitar solos but uses the blues structure and electric blues tones in a Malinese groove.

Yes, thank you. This is why I'm here.

Awesome! Totally punk rock in a completely novel way

Always a trip to see things I thought of as "obscure" pop up here. I like the West African sound, but when more traditional, it tends to all run together. This album does a great job of marrying the structure and modality (?) with traditional western blues rock.

This is why I go through with this album-a-day rigamarole. This is an absolute gem I'd have never found otherwise. Very grateful to add this album to my rotation!

This entire album was a breath of fresh air. The music is fantastic and vibrant, and their voices are so soothing. African rhythms skillfully mixed with traditional blues.

Never heard of this album or, indeed, the band before. I loved it. Track 2 especially (which is now permanently on my MP3 player). Absolutely phenomenal musicians - top class. am currently investigating if they still gig - i'd say when they play live, they'd bring the house down.

How have I never heard this album before?! This was incredible from start to finish; I actually listened to the entire album twice in a row because I loved it so much. While listening the second time, I also looked up the story behind the album and the translated lyrics, and that made me fall even more in love with it. Amazing album, one I know will be in my regular rotation from here on out. I will definitely be checking out the rest of Songhoy Blues' albums. Standout Tracks: "Soubour," "Irganda," "Sekou Oumarou," "Jolie"

Listened to this while drawing. Really enjoy the album.

This was an unexpected pleasure and the kind of album that makes participating in this 1001 albums project worthwhile. Great musicians playing in a combination of styles I haven't heard before, helping expand my musical horizons - rather than the 53rd half-assed britpop outfit.

Really enjoyed this album.

Songhoy Blues - refugees from Mali due to religious (Islamic) extremist group Ansar Dine. Interesting album, really enjoyed it. The different styles of blues and rock shined through. Soulful song Mali, I don't know the language but the intent seeps through.

Incredible music, love this

This was great!

Superb.

This is incredible. On one hand, it sounds like blues-inspired African music. But then the blues was inspired from African music. So far, this is my favorite new discovery from this list. I've never heard anything quite like this, and I want to hear more! (And maybe figure out what they're saying...)

Really loved this album. I have no idea what they’re singing about but the grooves and players are so sick and the arranging is great. The drums and guitar really remind me of early chess blues and junior kimbrough. Al Hasidic terei - cool triple groove Sekou oumarou- sweet guitars Ai tchere bele- reaaally sick guitar grooves

It seems to excel in the blues, you need to have actually felt the blues. These guys have had that, and despite the language barrier you can feel it in this music. The mixture of instruments and rhythms create an amazingly distinct genre of music.

Blues muy bueno que no pierde su esencia africana. Combina el blues clásico con ritmos de muchas percusiones y pese a no haber buscado el significado de las letras lo disfruté mucho. Imprescindible leer la historia del grupo.

Fantastic

Rhythms, Tones, Layering. Expertly done.

energetic blues, like a lot

Amazing desert blues rock record with hypnotic and groovy rhythm. Totally surprised me with the great quality of the record. Truly deserving to be on the list.

This was good company today, perfect for walking about and well deserving of decent headphones. The record quality and tone of the instruments is superb. Beautiful.

Great African Blues!

Absolutely fantastic desert rock. Deep, groovy riffs overlaid with furious virtuoso notes and a near-perfect backbeat that sets the tempo and expectation of excitement (or whatever the mood may be) while still leaving enough sonic space for the vocals and guitar to shine.

Много готини блусари!

This is a GROOVE. Absolutely love it. Great rhythms and guitar tones and just a cool sounding album.

one of my fav :O

Great fusion blues Africa

A really sold bluesy album with a lot of emotions behind the lyrics, even if I don't understand them

I may have over rated this album just a smidge, but I am overwhelmed and impressed nonetheless. I feel like Songhoy Blues has something that needs to be said (all without understanding a lick of what's being sung) compared to many of the other ventures on this list. This is pure passion and pure blues.

Love love love this

Such a beautiful album

Loved it. Ambience. Blues. Guitar. No matter what language.

Zalig album. De blues, de samenzang, traditionele Afrikaanse sound. Toffe ontdekking

Rating: 10/10

What a surprise here! Delicia de escuchar y bailar. Llamado Desert Blues o Afro Blues por razones bien obvias pero sus sonidos tienen también algo espiritual y tropical. Puedo sentir a Colombia a través de estos sonidos que vienen de Mali. Es una fiesta completa este álbum.

best thing julian casablancas ever did

Is desert blues the best music genre I never knew existed????? Banger after banger. Great songs, not a bad track in there. Really groovy, I’ve saved the whole thing to my Spotify. No-skip album. Fav tracks: Soubour, Wayei, Irganda, Al Hassidi Terei, basically all of them ngl Least fav: Mali (but it’s still good)

I liked this one a lot. The sound was very clear. The guitar parts reminded me of gitkin a bit. Very nice music. No clue what the lyrics are though. Liked the first half more than the second.

You know what, I had to restart the record like 3 times because I wanted to listen in one session . I didn’t get sick of it. In fact, I very much enjoyed it. I feel very charitable and this album deserves it with this prime demonstration of the blues combines with African musical influences. 5/5

A discovery!!

Didn't know what to expect. Pleasantly surprised. Was good to work to.

Saharan shredders unite.

If not for this listening project, would I have ever been introduced to this album...I suspect not. So glad that I didn't miss this opportunity!! I will admit that it kind of got repetitive sounding to me, but not enough to mark it down.

40 minutes of some damn good grooves. Best track: Soubour

Amazing, so original, I haven't heard something that intrigues me like this in a very long time.

Wonderful. Improved my day.

tight as fuck bro 9/10

afrika mia

Not sure how many others could say this and mean it,  but I'm a big fan of the Timbuktu music scene. I'm serious! Ali Farka Touré, an amazing guitar player, is also from the Timbuktu region. He got his university degree in Music from Timbuk U. (OK that's a joke.) It doesn't say if Songhoy Blues guitarist Garba Touré is related to  Ali Farka Touré. He's not related to the other Touré's in the band so perhaps it's a coincidence. I like how the band has refreshed the dessert blues sound that Ali Farka Touré and others introduced outside of Mali. They have modernized the sound but kept the traditional guitar licks and style and also play the n'goni - a stringed instrument that marries so well with the guitar licks.