Music in Exile

Had never heard. Was quite lovely.

Really interesting mix of a traditional blues sound on guitar, chanting, and almost a dancy percussion section. Little redundant at times but still solid.

Blues is not my thing, but I like it's roots and fruits. Most of this I could get on with. I liked Sekou Oumaro, Wayei and Ai Tchere Bele (fast 6/8) especially. Nice sunny day driving music.

Really enjoyed this…

Good energy

Pretty good

This is a completely new group and album to me, I had never heard of them and obviously never listened to their music before. I really enjoyed this, love the music and the styles involved. Unfortunately for me I am monolingual, so I can’t speak to the lyrical content. Overall though this is my favorite album that has been generated thus far.

Enjoyed this one - wouldn't have been an album I'd just pick up on my own. Well played, albeit a bit same-y with tempos, etc.

Oh WOW! What madman thought of combining really well played R&B music with, what sounded like, traditional African vocals. Whoever it was, they're a F@#K*#G genius.

Wow. I wasn’t expecting that! I thought that the African influences worked brilliantly with the blues/rock. The opening track kicked things off superbly. The backstory sounds insane. So much respect for this and can only imagine the energy they’d bring live.

Nope

Not bad! Would be strange I buy it, but nice music!

really enjoyed this

Another album with a very interesting backstory, and the music is pretty good too. Nothing blew me away but it has a nice groove.

That was very nice! I always like it when some non western music shows up here. Very cool

Surprised by this - liked it more than I expected. Which lead me on to starting to worry about liking albums where I don’t know what they’re singing about. I mean it’s probably fine right? But they could be singing about anything?

And this album is I guess the reason we’re all doing this website, to find little gems you’ve never heard of and wouldn’t have found on your own. Absolutely loved this. I have heard a couple of ‘African desert rock’ artists before, for example Mdou Moctar who’s pretty cool. But for whatever reason the combination of this style of vocals and beats with the western blues guitar with the African twist totally rocked for me. Just a great groove that brought a massive smile to my face. Soubour and Nick absolute highlights. Who knew the Blues had new life in it yet. Must have listened 7-8 times today, thoroughly looking forward to checking out the rest of their back catalogue.

I think a few bands have been on holiday to Mali and nicked their desert style. Hypnotic stuff and sounds great, will revisit.

Was super shocked to see Songhoy Blues pop up on here! I’ve enjoyed Music in Exile for some time - its story of origin is an important one to read up on. I wouldn’t say it’s the wildest form of Malian rock I’ve heard, but the songs still have the awesome riffs & group vocals that made me love this genre in the first place.

Favorite Tracks: Soubour Irganda Mali

Echt wel nice!

The best songs are the one that lean more “African” and less “blues”, but overall, they’re all too repetitive. Unfortunately, that leaves us with half a decent album, and half forgettable.

Sure, why not.

I tend to love West African music and this blues album delivers, but falls below Ali Farka Touré greatness

good sound but not a fan of the vocals

Musically this was great, I loved it. Lyrics and stroy telling are important to me, I alwsys struggle with the language barrier. Favourite song: Soubour Least favourite: Everything was OK Album artwork: Good

Decent but too repetitive for my taste

sounded like Muddy Waters went overseas

The blues sounds fine, but I would not listen to this album again.

Uplifting desert blues

Great recommendation that I would not have discovered on my own

did not understand a single word but still very enjoyable

This album was good. I think the story adds some emotion to the music but the reserved African sound doesn't add to the emotions. It's a band of political refugees forced to uproot their lives and somehow it feels very little of it comes through the multiple vocal layers. The guitar instrumentation is tremendous, these guys are talented and the guitarist especially was very powerful and perfectly done. You can hear the inspirations, Hendrix'esq guitar and a real commitment to 60s and 70s rhythm & blues that you don't see as much anymore. Favorite Song Irganada. Note: This album reminded me of one of my favorite albums, Inteiro Metade by Tagua Tagua. It's a bit groovier and synthetic but I recommend if you liked this album and

Always interesting to see which causes are highlighted and which ones are not.

I really enjoyed this album, despite not being able to understand a single word. The blues flow is great but the “desert” part of their self described style is what makes this a unique album. You can tell the band listened to a lot of traditional American blues and rock and it’s the framework for what is otherwise a heavily localized style. The meters for each song are complicated but still really listenable in the sense that you can tap your foot to it all without thinking too hard. The guitar work is excellent without being full of itself. The drums are precise without being mechanical. It’s just put together really well. Al Hassidi Terei is my favorite track; I love the odd time signature and the fact that everyone (I’m assuming) is singing.

I listened to about half of this but it was pretty good. Reinforced my idea that all language sounds better when you can’t understand it

This was completely new to me in terms of genre, language, and overall tone. It took me a few tracks to get into it, but then I found myself grooving with it. Maybe I'll put this on the backburner in case I need to prove to someone how deep my taste in music is.

A bit African for my taste. They are undoubtedly talented musicians. There was also a homogeneity in the material

Big slay. guitar is so amazing. It feels so so classic American blues, which is amazing against the vocals. Sekou oumarou one of my faves. Love love love how the albums gets more folky towards the second half, like Petit mertier.

very easy listening i liked it

would hear again

I can’t believe this came out in 2015. Love to hear something new

A fun album, has some cool rhythm guitar and polyrhythms at times, but it gets a bit repetitive after a while and the songs blend together. It’s ok.

I liked the rhythm and the melody, but I didn't connect with lyrics as I don't understand the language. Lyrics are important to me and these might be great lyrics, but they are lost on me. My loss. Anyway, it sounds like it could be a great album, but it won't make it into my rotation.

Funky and fantastic.

A blues rock album from a different world. Interesting.

Mali blues I love it

New to me. Solid guitar music, powerful lyrics from a talented group of musicians in exile. Thanks!

I went into it with an open mind, but I just couldn’t enjoy it. Too bizarre

Reminds me of Ali Farka Toure

The Fabulous Thunderbirds kind of blues if sang in Songhai and recorded with Mali sensibilities.

An enjoyable album

WTF is it about guitar players from Mali named Touré? Ok, I couldn't resist and looked it up about four tracks in. I didn't even realize that was a thing until just now. A lot of blues influence here. I wonder how the cultural appropriation police would feel about this? I like the playing and the sounds but the tunes aren't that interesting to me.

I've never heard of them before, but it's really nice to hear a band in this collection that's (a) not from North America or Europe and (b) doesn't sound like a sort of genericized world-music band (at least for much of the album). And they've got a great (and also tough) backstory both for the title of the album and their journey from the Timbuktu region to the capital of Mali (and beyond). (A bit of a bummer that so many Malians (and apparently many West Africans) have the same last name Touré, as it's hard to know what sort of connections the band members had to each other, although interesting to know that Garba Touré is "the son of Ali Farka Touré's long-time percussionist".) I'm not sure I've ever heard "[Sahara] desert blues" before, but I like their version of it, and most of the songs have great guitar and rhythm work to them; it's also amazing to read that Malian blues long (long long) predates American blues. Admittedly, I have no idea what the song titles or lyrics mean, so I can't really judge whether their songs are more formulaic or story-driven, but I like the energy and sound nonetheless.

This was more rocking than I expected and I really liked it. I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad that I couldn't understand the lyrics.

If this was added, what was taken out?!

Some solid jams here. Not much I'd really return to, but pretty invigorating while it was on

Tanzabarer repetitiver Bluesrock. Kann man sich ganz gut geben. 3.5

Well this was a nice surprise for a Saturday morning. Some great guitar and a fabulous sound

Fun and interesting afro blues blend. Personally feels a little repetitive but I think that's part of the genre - maybe in a different mood I'd appreciate that aspect more. Some delightful melodies and exciting, unusual rhythms.

I love it. So different from what I usually listen to, but so much energy.

I enjoyed that. It started better than it finished.

cool dudes. first song was fantastic and a bit whatevs from there. im sure theyre saying some important shit.

"Music in Exile" no podía ser un título más apropiado para un disco de los Songhoy Blues. Integrantes de la tribu songhoy, los componentes del grupo tuvieron que huir cuando en 2012 el norte de su país, Mali, cayó en manos de Ansar Dire. Con su sonido del desierto entregan una maravillosa mezcla de rock 'n' roll americano tradicional, blues y melodías tradicionales songhoy. Lo que tambien es, en la más pura tradición del rock, expresión de identidad, compromiso y protesta. Difícil destacar un tema sobre los demás, pero citaré la primera canción, "Soubou", el épico arranque de "Al Hassidi Terei" y la muy rockera "Nick".

I think it's the first album from Mali I've ever listened to (and it's the second African album from this list even if I'm nearing 500 albums in this challenge). It is very nice world music that I enjoyed listening to. The reason I started this challenge to get to know more genres and albums like this album and this was a good one to discover.

Vond het niet zoveel aan. Startte heel goed maar daarna steeds hetzelfde

Best lekker gebrabbel, lekker in de ochtend met n zonnetje

Surprised me and is very entertaining.

Stunning. Must watch the documentary about these guys!

two songs in and ive never heard of these guys but theyre great!! really good stuff and really fun. i wish i had listened to this while not in bed. this would go hard as a movie soundtrack. definitely will listen again. i feel like my dad might like this.

Good album, strong guitar work. I'm not sure it adds anything new or interesting to the desert blues genre, but it's a good listen regardless.

I did not know what to expect and I'm not certain I understand this style well enough to rate it.

This was a fun listen! I couldn't understand any of the lyrics, but they were almost another instrument mixed into it all.

Very pleasantly surprised. This here the desert blues.

Hoi hoi, nog meer etnische muziek uit Mali. Maar ook dit vind ik best lollig en het heeft genoeg tempo en afwisseling. Prima plaat om een paar keer te luisteren en dan weer een heel ander genre op te zetten.

Leuk dat er af en toe uit een ander vaatje wordt getapt. We krijgen ineens een aantal keer muziek die de evenaar moest passeren om mij te bereiken. Eerlijk is eerlijk. De wereld stopt niet bij Engeland en Amerika. Maar...Ik moet wel echt even wennen aan die Afrikaanse trillende zang. Het is gelukkig niet zo doorgeslagen als wij wel eens uit de hier voorbijkomende auto's horen. Wie weet is dit een mooi opstapje naar muzikale verbreding, want uiteindelijk wen ik er toch wel aan. En als die brug is geslagen, kan ik de muziek best waarderen. Zelf opzetten is wel (nog) een brug te ver. Maar ik wijt dat maar aan de culturele afstand, dus wil dat niet in de sterren tot uiting brengen.

Waren we vorige week al in Mali, deze keer keren we terug. Dit keer zonder Ry Cooder. Het klinkt als een soort country en bluesy Manu Chao. Ze lopen lekker op de gitaar te pielen in ieder geval. Het is wel even wennen aan de manier van zingen, die we dus ook al terug hoorden bij die andere Toure. Alsof het niet past, maar dat is waarschijnlijk gewoon omdat we gewend zijn aan een of andere knauwerige Amerikaan. En als je er eenmaal een beetje aan went, dan klinkt het gewoon best wel lekker. Ik kan dit plaatje best nog een keer opzetten.

I dont speak the language but I wish I did. It was a bop, started off strong and ended peacefully. Weak 4 but it got there. Favorite song: Sekou Oumarou, Petit Metier really close 2nd.

A very unique twist on blues rock, being much more up-beat and dance oriented. Very enjoyable listen, although again to my untrained ear the album did start to blend together towards the end. But you can hear the fun and passion behind each sing. Top tracks: Soubour, Al Hassidi Terei, Petit Metier

Loved it…just wish I knew what they’re singing about

i liked it but realistically i am not going to revisit this album

African blues is not what I expected to hear today, nonetheless I enjoyed it. They have much to offer.

Not my style, Definitely respect this.

Enjoyable, good vibe. Quite samey

I’ve heard much better versions of this sort of thing. Whatever.

Well, I kind of like this style of music. And some of the songs here are really beautiful. But there are quite some artists / records from the genre that I hold in higher esteem. This one for me is somewhat too much on the mellow and conventional side. Still a good record, but it is missing some edge and some of the guitar playing would have been better off played with the Kora, as it feels too close to that instrument as one could call it inspired by. Concerning message or meaning, I cannot judge, but from what it is said, there is no hidden evil lurking. On a secondary note: don't go for the deluxe edition. The three additional covers don't go well with the album.

Really liked - chill vibe with some good rock sections.

Unique (and enjoyable) guitar parts and a couple of songs to my taste, especially “Petit Metier”, but something about it wasn’t really my thing. I do understand the appeal, though — Songhoy Blues have really got something going for them.

How have I never heard of these guys before? This is fantastic.

Holy fuck, what a surprise this was! Dudes are from Mali, and they call this genre of music Desert blues. It has their traditional African music mixed with blues. It's fucking amazing Dudes formed in Bamako after being forced to leave their homes in Timbuktu due to civil conflicts and the imposition of Sharia law. In 2012 the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad took control of the North of Mali. In turn, they were pushed out by Ansar Dine, a jihadist group which banned cigarettes, alcohol, and music. The guitarist, Garba Toure was forced to leave his home and moved to Bamako. Together with the other members of the band, they formed to "recreate the lost ambience of the North and make all the refugees relive those northern songs" There is a documentary called They Will Have to Kill Us First in which they are featured as one of the primary subjects of the film. ... And we think we have it bad sometimes! ..... Fuckin hell of a story!! I can't imagine being told that I can't listen to music. What a sad and horrible life that would be! Props to these dudes for finding a way to make the music they love! This album is amazing!! Favourite songs: Soubour, Nick, Al Hassidi Terei, Al Tchere Bele, Irganda, Sekou Oumarou, Jolie, Petit Metier, Wayei, Desert Melodie, Mali Least favourite songs: none 5/5

Enjoyed this one from start to finish. On top of the music itself their formation and history is worth reading up on too.

Great album, real nice blend of afrobeat and rock

Mali, african desert bues, blues rock, OK

Great mix of sounds. It’s amazing how well the blues is played in their unique style. 4/5 Will listen again

It’s good but not my thing

Very unusual, really enjoyed it

Gave me Kaiser Chiefs vibes. Must more westernised than I was expecting, but I didn’t like the combo.

So yeah, turns out I'm into desert blues. After some exposure to somewhat similar artists like Bombino or Ali Farka Touré and his son Vieux, how pleasant that this new group of Tourés has entered my life. The first song had much more verve than I expected, sounding more like rock than many world music artists I've been exposed to. This group's guitarist can sure play. While I can't understand the words they sing, they send a message through their playing. And the message is that these guys are badasses. Fantastic music, groovy and brimming with emotion.

its groovy and i was liking it a lot at the start but uh every song sounds identical i got kinda sick of it half way in so it went from an 8/10 to a low 7/10

Great study music

Finally,someone new to me to add to my list to follow....5 stars all day long

Beautiful music.

This is exactly the kind of thing this project is for for me. I would never even have heard of this band let alone listened to the album if it wasn't for the project, and whilst it isn't the best I've listened to it was really enjoyable bluesy rock. A perfectly good way to pass 40 minutes, but maybe not one I'll rush back to.

African blues music, I prefer more dance in this genre but I don't mind it.

Ugandan blues wasn’t for me but definitely a head turner

Didn’t understand a word but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the instrumentals.

Honestly es slapped scho sehr. Finds cool hemmer mal wieder es album ufere andere sprach wie englisch !

he s isch huere schö produziert und de erst song slappt schomol. anschinend het de damon albarn sini finger do im spiel. lol sie sind am paléo 2022 gsi ich hans eventuell gseh. irganda au sehr upbeat und huere geil. ich verstoh nüt aber vibe stimmt. al hassidi terei meega geile groove. nick easy, aber s verwäscht sich alles chli. wayei sehr en nice klangteppich. d songs hend irgendwie nie strophe und refrain oder so, s goht afoch wiiter. findi no cool. petit metier erste akustische. er singt mengmol französisch. aaaah und jetz band mit lisligem schlagzüg. ich ha gern lislige schlagzüg. irgendwie chuntmer de bekannt vor? ich glaub ich ha die echt gseh am paléo. mali irgendwie sad well sie sind in mali vertriebe worde vom norde.

GITARRE GAHT HAM das isch voll jonas musig hahahah UNRXPECTED HALFTIME al tchere bele insane rhythmus hanmer halt scho meh so albe erhofft anstatt 95 albe vo de gliche 3 us-amerikanische singer/songwriter (und allgemein weniger westkichi musig aber hey wa wosch mache) mega gueti summermusig grosse fan

If the black keys knew how to hold a groove and let it simmer

Music in Exile by Songhoy Blues is a captivating album that seamlessly merges the American guitar sound with the vibrant rhythms of Mali. Throughout the record, the band showcases their impressive harmonies and infectious grooves, making it a enjoyable listen from start to finish. While Julian Casablancas didn't collaborate directly with the band on the album, his support in promoting their music in the US undoubtedly helped bring their unique sound to a broader audience. The album's production quality is superb, allowing each instrument to shine while highlighting the band's tight musical chemistry. Tracks like Soubour and Al Hassidi Terei stand out with their irresistible energy and soulful melodies. Overall, Music in Exile is a testament to the band's passion and authenticity, showcasing the power of music to bridge cultural divides and unite listeners worldwide. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 3 STAND OUT TRACK - Soubour

Really enjoyed this album, i've always been a bit of a fan of desert blues. Listened while I was working so no obvious standouts, I had heard the 1st track before fo sho.

Piacevole ma c'è di meglio nel genere

Stuff I would have never listened to otherwise, but is very interesting and good.

4 - I really enjoy desert blues

This is kinda fire. Wasn't expecting much based off the album cover, but this is the sort of thing I'm very happy to see on the list. Fave Tracks: Soubour, Al Hassidi Terei, Nick 4.6/5

It's a five from Clive. This is what the list is all about. Give the people what they want. And they want Malian desert blues from Timbuktu.

This was a joyful breath of fresh air.

Very bouncy and eclectic! Draws from so many genres and references, very cool find!

A bit of a surprise as this mixes traditional Malian influence with an almost alternative rock/blues sound. Such an interesting combination of sounds all coming together to formulate a record that I really did not know was going to be what it was.

This was a fun listening experience!! Always a pleasure hearing music from around the world!

What starts off as a fun and danceable new fusion of sounds turns into the same old same old by the end of the album. I feel like they came out blasting with the best riffs and vocal hooks at the start and the rest of the tracks were kinda just jams. Good jams though. The last track is sombre and sweet and I appreciate them ending on that note given the bands history. I wish they just kept reinventing but it's easier said than done.

It was a change, but nothing more.

I think its because I don't understand the language

Kinda fun and upbeat. No clue at all what they're singing about but it is a mix of an Indian vibe with some rock flair to it. 4.5

This album is why I use lists like this. So good.

2015! I think that's the most recent album we've got. Looks like Julian Casablancas's Cult Records co-released this album in North America which is super cool. Damon Albarn and Nick Zinner, the guitarist from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs also had a hand in this album. The opener is a super groovy banger. The guitarist is absolutely ripping through the whole album. I love the off-kilter groove on "Ai Tchere Bele". I'm very glad I went back and listened to this one because it slaps, I will have to revisit it.

The boys from Timbuktu can jam, bluesy but the upbeat songs feel like classics from the American blues era but with more exciting percussion and lyrics. Production was a good time and it shows.

One thing about me is I love protest music. I wish I could’ve taken the time really pause and listen but alas the day got away from me. I enjoyed having this on during the 2-4 pm slump

Beats be funkin!! Actually really enjoyed this, was not expecting to, front half of the album goes a bit harder than the second half though. Top songs: Soubour, Irganda, Al Hassidi Terri, Petit Metier

The guitar and rhythm of this album really carry you along, providing some great blues energy. Many songs have a certain bounce to them that is reminiscent of an Irish jig while still having the weight of a blues rock jam, which I enjoyed.

I was pleasantly surprised by this selection. Am I gonna throw this album into my rotation? Probably not. Did I groove out while listening to this? Hell yeah! I wish I knew what they were saying, but those cats were cookin. Light 3 (it feels racist going any lower) Fav songs: Irganda, Nick, Jolie

I couldn’t understand the words but I could understand what they were saying if you know what I mean?? Had me dancing around the apartment for some songs! Fave Song: Irganda (translates to “our environment”)

I couldn't understand a single word of the lyrics but I enjoyed it musically and it was refreshing to get something different than the usual fare. 3.5/5

I would probably rate higher if I could understand the lyrics. Fairly enjoyable, though. It has a nice classic rock feel to it. Made me think of ZZ top.

Good, a little repetitive. Top marks for Al Tchere Bele. Struck me as an odd inclusion to this list.

First time hearing this- enjoyed it, some awesome blues guitar. 🎸🌵 Favorite Track: Soubour

C'mon man. Like big props to these dudes for resisting oppressors and terror groups in their country and using the power of music to bring light to the injustices happening in a part of the world I know nothing about. But here's the thing, I don't speak Mali. And therefore actually hear none of that happening on this record. I don't think the instruments or sound of this album carry anything beyond what I think sounds pretty generic. Terribly boring listen. This list has issues.

Another album that I didn’t understand a word of the lyrics, but this time I loved it!! Great vocals, fantastic beat and rhythm, joyful music. Just all around great songs.

Soubour- I like the clapping beat. I saved it! Al Hassidi Terei- I like the call-and-response parts I added Petit Metier. I think they are speaking some French?! I don’t really like some of the rock influences

To discover stuff like this is why I am going through this list. These boys shred. Felt the energy, but couldn't really connect to the music, probably because of the language barrier.

Not for me

Like the vibe but a lil too noisy for me. Like tinariwen but noisier

Good energy

Great album to expand your horizons.this is great blues and I need to look up the lyrics but the music was fantastic!

Pretty good, especially for me not knowing the language.

Malian desert blues rock. Cool albeit repetitive for my ears.

Very cool

this is amazing!!!!!!!! blues, rock, african vibes, all rolled into one awesome sound! african math rock?! omg, its great!

So basic but it could be worse, a 2.5 for me

Moi bo disco, tiñame unha pinta horrible pois a música en idiomas que non entendo non me cunde pero foi unha grata sorpresa. Ta' chulo

This was unexpectedly awesome!!!

Songhoy Blues is a band that was inspired by political and civil unrest in their native Mali. After getting noticed by French producer, the recorded a few songs, and were invited to perform in the U.K. While there, they recorded their first album, Music in Exile. Their music is a modern spin on traditional Mali music - a fast-paced, guitar-driven style of African folk music.

Never heard them before. Really enjoyable

Loved! Great blues work throughout loves especially some of the stilted/less 2/4 beats laid down. virtuoso guitar

Wonderful, even if I only understood a fraction of the lyrics!

Meh

It's good stuff. It's very rhythmic and that appeals to my base musical wants. The kind of music that I'm always pleased to hear ... though not necessarily near the top of my 'things I choose to listen too' pile.

funky/psych/groovey rock beats, def. coming back for more

Surprisingly good

A breath of fresh air.

Not sure what language this is in, but it's kinda catchy. Don't think I'd find myself listening to them again though.

I loved this album. I’ve never heard of these guys, but this was such a breath of fresh air. I’m really looking forward to more surprises like this one.

Favourite song - Al hassidi terei

So good! This album was so freshing, especially since it's not English or western. It's also different from other African musicians I've heard. It seemed like an African take on country.

Well this is different. It’s surprisingly funky, the guitar and beat is great, getting used to the vocal and different language. Track 2 slappin. I wish I knew what they were saying. Feels like blue grassy. Hearing their vocals contrast with the “western” sound is trippy. As the album goes on I’m starting to get distracted though and the lure of these clashing sounds is getting old unfortunately. Lots of respect for this group especially given what they’ve gone through in their lives and they are very talented but for my personal preference just not my cup of tea.

Was driving while listening so limited notes. At first it kinda reminded me of Sheepdogs. It was cool music and i can definitely appreciate it, but just wasnt my jam. It was interesting listening to an African band with a very western sound.

Прикольно. Неожиданно получил удовольствие от прослушивания. Местами впечатление будто слушаешь африканских Tito & Tarantula.

You don’t have to know the language to enjoy the music. But I wish I did so I could have a greater appreciation of it.

It's okay. I liked the sounds but somthing I wouldn't listen to in a daily basis

super groovy and laid back. every song is good... and I'm obsessed with soubour. hidden gem fs 8/10

Pretty solid. I liked it. Considering the circumstances I think its pretty incredible they made it on this list. -8/10

The beginning of the first song reminded me of the Black Keys album. Overall pretty good, maybe would’ve enjoyed it if I spoke the language or looked up the lyrics. Liked the fast paced songs more. Was surprised to see a song with Iggy Pop on their 2017 album.

some of the words sounded kinda Indian to me, thought it was pretty good but can't see myself listening again 7/10

Pretty cool music. Very down to earth. I love their voices. Really moving story behind the album too. 8.5/10

7/10 - I liked the background quite a bit. Every song was enjoyable but nothing was crazy good.

Was decent 6/10

Damn, this was really good. None of the songs were bad, and there were a few standouts that I really enjoyed. Obviously have never heard of these guys before this list, so I'm glad they made it 8/10

Great musicianship and sound to this one. Enjoyed hearing something from another culture.

First listen Saved 4/11: Soubour Irganda Al Hassidi Terei Wayei

Obviously not music I listen to but I can appreciate the depth of the album.

Only really listened to Songbour. Good music.

Nice beats!

Not bad

Com todo respeito, o álbum é bom, mas não acho que deveria estar na lista

это интересно конечно, но надо намного больше тренировать ухо чтобы южные/восточные вокальные стили воспринимать

Desert blues.... band from Mali.... 3-4 stars

Simple, inspired, and sumptuous. A lot of fun through its full runtime.

Each song was great at the start but the beats never went anywhere. Something this beat heavy can't be so monotonous.

This was my first time listening to this album, and it exceeded my expectations. There is some really good guitar work and production choices throughout, however the language barrier prevents me from enjoying it to it's fullest extent.

Interessante und kurzweilige afrikanische Rhythmen aus Gitarren, Folk Elementen und einem angenehmen Tempo. Man versteht kein Wort des Textes der in fast jedem Lied „Wambo Wambo“ enthält. Man fühlt sich wie an einen schwülen Sommer Abend am offenen Feuer in der Steppe von Mali und plötzlich erklingt es „Should I stay, or should I go“ 😊

I just really dig African blues music - these grooves are getting me through night shift work. I need to check out the documentary about this group, "They Will Have to Kill Us First" - badass rebel music always wins.

Wow, what a find this was. I've always liked desert blues, but haven't properly explored the genre. Songhoy Blues offer a slightly more modern take on the genre, showcasing influence by the incredible Ali Farka Touré, as well as a wide range of Western styles. Interesting that they cite hip hop and R&B as their 'main diet', while staying firmly connected to Northern Malian music. An added bonus here is the collaboration with Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. None of this says anything about their personal stories of being internally displaced persons, in exile from a fundamentalist group who wanted to ban music from Timbuktu. Despite their modern sound, Songhoy Blues are also keeping their Northern sounds alive.

World music always fascinates me and fills me with questions of what the scenes did/do look like, who were these bands influenced by, etc. This album starts off musically closer to something in a modern blues-rock groove than what I'd expect from an African band. I really only knew of Ladysmith black mambazo and this is pretty far from that. Did their blues and rock follow a similar evolution as what we saw stateside? Whatever the story is, the fact is the first half of this definitely rocks. The second half seems to lose some of the powerful guitar sounds and gets more traditional to almost more have a sound I more associate with the middle east. That style shift plus me being unable to really understand the story or lyrics ( my fault, not fair I know) holds this album back a bit, but happy to have heard it and will throw a couple tracks on a playlist. Favorite track "Soubour" - but really could be any of the first 4-5 3/5

C'est très bien essayé de la part de Robert d'essayer de nous faire croire qu'il s'y connaît en blues malien mais personne n'est dupe.

Un excellent recueil d'africanaiserie, on s'en régale

It's okay, but repetitive

Super cool. Didn't think I'd like it

Cool, mellifluous, love the way they use instruments

Quite a hidden gem this. Good production, good musicianship, I assume good lyrics (language barrier yknow), good vibes. Songhoy Blues, I wasn't familiar with your game.

Thank god that albums like this are also included. Really enjoyable chill listen, great to get to know music like this.

Love it! Completely new to me and I really enjoy the rhythms of Mali combined with the bluesy guitar.

Cool. Appreciate being exposed to music outside the normal critics choices. I like it cause I’m a sucker for basic rock chords and melody, the traditional aspects and rhythms are beautiful. As a stand alone record, without knowing the bands history, there’s nothing really new or groundbreaking here.

Los pibes saben. Interesante historia de trasfondo y suena bien pero se lleva dos estrellas porque no es algo que me po dria a escuchar con regularidad.

Bluesy rock, with cool African influences

Rousing and fresh!

These guys can JAM, even if I have no Idea what they're saying...

bom abubiblues

Can't understand a thing they are saying, but it doesn't matter. This album slaps. Right from the get-go a grooving beat with running guitars overtop, had me dancing in my seat.  I loved the crazy time signatures in "Al Hassidi Terei". 6/4 (or probably actually a 4/4 and a 2/4 repeated), and then into a 6/8. And then back again. Really cool. With all the layers of crazy polyrhythms across the different instruments, they sound like an African-blues version of Tool. Would be fun to play drums for this band.

Guitar in this one was great.

Very repetitive. Like their sound but the language barrier is a challenge.

This is what I came here for. This list needs more international content. So much incredible music from Africa. This record is excellent.

Really infectious rhythms and solid production.

9/10 I have never heard this band and really enjoyed it

Gear: Moondrop Variations Mix: modern und hochwertig. Gitarre spielt frei und überall. Basslauf "Sekou Oumarou" und Drums in "Al Tchere Bele" Highlights Musik: Blues mit nem afrikanischen Twist. Vertraut aber auch frisch. Wertung: 3-4

It’s world music.

African Blues. I found myself moving along with some songs and less affected by others. A second listen to the first two songs was worth it, but most of the remaining songs lost that energy.

Desert blues for the win.

It honestly surprised me just how good Music in Exile was. The songs were very catchy at the start before getting more somber towards the end and actually sounded really good. The vocals were handled rather well too even if i couldn't understand what they were saying (I don't speak the language spoken in these songs) Some of the songs did sound a little similar to each other but not enough to ruin the album. I didn't know what to expect, but it sure wasn't this. Best Song: Soubour Worst Song: Al Hassidi Terei

Who would've thought that Malinese blues music would be my thing?

Not bad

It was fine. The instrumentation and composition was not interesting, so without understanding the lyrics there was nothing to hold me.

My favorite was Desert Melody

I enjoyed this blues album immensely. Great grooves.

Pretty good blues album

Interesting, but not really for me

Enjoyable and musically expressive.

Good music, but I just don't want to listen to the foreign language.

not bad at all, just not my type of music

A really nice sounding album. I wish I knew what they were saying but I also felt some parts of their songs. Shows that they do know their blues. 9/10

Album surprised me. Very relaxing

Nope

Rough and tumble

Traditional African style beats mixed with some rock and roll crested an enjoyable listen ...

Was unexpected really enjoyed this album

I really enjoyed this, and even though I didn’t understand the lyrics, I found myself pulled in the melodies in the music

Awwwwwww yeahhhhhh. Like I wrote a few reviews ago, I have a soft spot for guitar centric albums that do interesting things with music from around the world. This is album is very much my jam. This album is interesting and doesn’t veer into bland background music in a coffee shop territory. If you like this album then I recommend you check out Ali Farka Touré.

Really liked this, very pretty and sometimes rocking tunes. Will have to look more into this group.

Oh, nice. This wasn’t remotely on my radar, and I enjoyed it a lot. I couldn’t help compare it to Jorge Ben while listening. I loved the Jorge Ben, and this had a lot of the great things in it that I enjoyed about that. The instrumentation and the guitar tones were so sweet. This didn’t quite meet Jorge Ben standards for me, but I enjoyed it very much and it was nice that this project gave it to me, especially after the last week or so of things I’ve been listening to.

An excellent example of how music can transcend barriers like language by inflecting the feelings of its' performers. I wish there was more specific info on the band and the album specifically, but understand they are in a unique situation. The album showcases the yearning and resentment of the implementation of Sharia Law and being evicted from their homes, but still has a tinge of hope to it. 'Desert Blues' is a good way to frame it, and the music is unique but still familiar

a fun a cute record that gets the basics right!

Decent album regardless of where the band members would be from. Anyone that might appreciate blues, rock, etc. should appreciate a listen through.

New to me but sounded great.

i love the music of mali. i would like to go there one day. i do not like this this pefume with this music reminds me memory. its a memory of love. ----- biographical note ----- wow staff party so much stuff a phantom shitter wow ----- biographical note -----

Really surprising. These guys could be from tennessee

Amazing!!!

Buenas canciones y ritmos interesantes.

Svo gott, algjört feel good dæmi.

I don’t understand what it’s about but I like 👍 good energy, fun guitar

Really fun album, and not something I normally would have been exposed to. The music is energetic, and hard to place into a specific genre. Some fantastic guitar riffs here, which contrast and compliment really nicely with the background vocals throughout the songs.

1. 4.8 2. 4.3 3. 4 4. 4.2 5. 3.8 6. 3.6 7. 4.5 8. 3.9 9. 4.8 10. 4.8 11. 4.2 12. 4.4

Not bad at all. I'd give it another star if I understood Spanish.

Thoroughly enjoyed this album. The vocals reminded me of Ladysmith Black Mombasa and the music reminded me of Los Lonely Boys. Great album, even without understanding the lyrics.

It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.

I liked this! It's always very chill for me to listen to music in languages other than English. The vibe of the album was relaxing but upbeat -- good music to do chores to. :)

Musically, reminds me quite a bit of Baaba Maal, in the way that it finds a chord progression and rarely breaks free from it. Love the heavier, bluesier tracks, but feel the album is a little front-loaded. Still, cool record. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Irganda", "Nick"

Quite like it. Bit exotic

Not for me

Good musicianship, nice groove. I just have a problem with songs I can’t sing along with or know what they are saying.

This is absolutely what I decided to do this 1001 albums list for, enjoyed every bit of this album and I've never heard anything quite like it.

Zou echt nooit op mijn pad zijn gekomen zonder deze site.

Pleasant background 6 music fodder

First few songs are good, but gets a bit annoying-background-noisey after that

I enjoyed the music on this album. Unfortunately, this album is in another language so any impact the lyrics would have provided were lost on me. I am not sure I would listen again however I am glad I did listen to it.

Really enjoyed this!

Good

Amazing Album.

Blues is on point, language and cultural barrier are no issue

I had expected English vocal blues. Instead, the lyrics were in local language. I don’t like listening to vocal songs that are not in English. And the music was more R&B than blues. Still, the music was pretty good but I didn’t care for the songs where there was singing. I will give this album 2 stars.

Very nice beat, easy to listen and melodies stick withyou.

Like any blues album, this has a lot of the same chord progressions from song to song. But done by an African band, it treats the blues with its own brand of rhythms and vocals. At times hypnotic, but ultimately kind of boring.

Really loved some of the songs. Album flow was not easy to do background work with. Maybe better cooking. long album-

Ugh.

Interesante escucha, muy groovy y divertide. No esperaba escuchar música maliense en mi vida, gracias albumsgenerator

El blues es divertido!

2.7. The musicianship is pretty good. When I was 7 or 8 I had a friend. His babe was Maurice. When we listened to music he couldn’t remember the words. So he would just make up the words. When I listened to this album I couldn’t help but think of him.

2.6 - The music is pretty good. The rest, not as much.

loved this

I liked it enough. Appreciate having new stuff show up on this list. Won't join the rotation but was a good 1 listen. Will I listen to again: 5%

3+

It is a kind of very original blues mix witu a bit of african music, but they compose and play it very well.

This was such a cool album!!! I have never heard anything like it.

Glad I heard it. Interesting and different blend of African beats with electric guitars.

Good blend of different styles with some interesting guitar work and nice polyrhythms going on. A good listen, but I was hoping for a bit more variety, and it felt a little repetitive in places.

3.5 This album made me really want half stars. I thought Mothership Connection could have been a 4.5 but was fine putting it at 4. Now this deserves to be somewhere between Made in Japan and that. I’ve made the formal decision to round halves down and mentally move Mothership Connection to 4.5 retroactively) As for an actual review, I am an uncultured swine and sorry I can’t understand the lyrics. Very interesting groove to the whole thing and I really love their voices. The second half (Wayei and on) made me want to bother with that whole half star thing.

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.

all the songs started really well... but after a while they got really repetitive. that annoyed me a bit

I have learned via listening to this album that desert blues is definitely NOT my cup of tea lol. I appreciate the backstory behind the album and the defiance in the face of authority is very punk, but that isn’t really reflected in the music.

ok

Blues isn't my jam usually but Music in Exile is something fresh. I find the production a little bit elaborate but the 11 songs on the album are all interesting enough to keep me engaged.

Really cool.

Listened Before? No Out of the gate, Soubour feels like a Dodge commercial, but then the vocals disintegrate that Made in America feel. Not my favorite genre of music, but they translate the sound extremely well and clearly have a talented guitarist and vocalist on hand. Takeaway from Irganda is the same as before; they have a really solid guitarist and they give him a lot of space to explore. Fun little stomp of a song. Some interesting syncopation on Al Hassidi Terei. Tonally this reminds me of some of the work from the Japanese band toe (side note, I recommend everyone check out their album "For Long Tomorrow"). I find it interesting that within the mix the instruments generally feel pretty tight, but the vocals are recorded "loose" to give an almost live, group performance feel. Sekou Oumarou is an immediate standout. Understated with some call and response vocals. Creates a very moody tone that is ripe for exploitation. My focus really dropped off as I started to work, but I definitely enjoyed this album 100x more than I expected from the first minute. This album is at once familiar and fresh, in that the band taps effectively into a familiar blues rock sound while imbuing it with unique cultural elements throughout. Not only are the vocals (obviously) in the native language, the mixing puts them into an interestingly live/group oriented focus that brings the whole thing very close to the ground. In addition, there is specific emphasis on call and response and syncopated percussion that makes for an interesting listen. I regained focus for the closer Mali, which is a really tender and pretty acoustic jam. Also, whoever the guitarist is here deserves more credit; this dude jams. Strong 4 / 5 for me. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists: - Irganda (Sunny-vibes) - Sekou Oumarou (Driving) - Mali (Sunny-vibes)

This certainly has a bluesy, southern rock twang to it that I enjoy. I also enjoy that it's not in English, because I barely pay attention to the lyrics anyway. Pretty middle of the road album though. Nick was a standout. Reading the story of this band is pretty enlightening, but it's not influencing my rating on the album too much. Apparently they were influenced by Ali Farka Toure who we just listened to recently.

The first half of that album was awesome with the unexpected blues aspects. The guitar work was pretty remarkable. There was a moment there towards the end where I thought I was listening to Khrungbin which was great. Felt like it turned more worldy music towards the end which was an ok way of finishing out the album, but the beginning half was what really did it for me in this album.

This is some really good stuff. I have absolutely no clue what they're saying in any of the songs but the guitar work is incredible. Not sure how much I'll come back to listen to this, but I've been on a renaissance to find "Khruangbinny" bands and this scratches a similar kinda itch.

Different but really good. Didn’t understand a word of it, but really liked it

Africa music with good desert blues sound

Good album. I never heard this band, album, or any other Mali music before, and its pretty good. This is a more worthy addition to this list than yet another brit-pop forgettable album, thats for sure. This is the kind of thing that I am here for. 4/5

Love the instrumentals and call and response vocals. A bit repetitive and I wish I knew what the lyrics meant but overall a powerful album made as a work of rebellion and a call for freedom against an oppressive government. +1 star for Songhoy Blues bravery.

3.5 I appreciate the context of the album. I wanted it to be a bit more groovy.