Music in Exile

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...)

Unexpected 5*, loved seeing something different.

Very groovy album

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.

What a pleasure this album was

Fantastic

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

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

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.

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.

energetic blues, like a lot

This album was a lot of fun

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

Listened to this while drawing. Really enjoy the album.

Love love love this

one of my fav :O

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

Много готини блусари!

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.

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

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

Great fusion blues Africa

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.

Awesome! Totally punk rock in a completely novel way

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.

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.

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.

Such a beautiful album

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!

Really enjoyed this album.

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)

best thing julian casablancas ever did

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"

This album begins with straight electric blues and shifts over the course of the album to for Malinese influenced music. In a very real way, this album represents a full circle moment; here we see an African influenced American genre turn into something new in the hands of Africans. It truly revitalizes the blues in a way that is very difficult to do. The result is astounding. The title of the album alludes to the fact that Songhoy Blues is a band in exile, and may be making some of the truest blues music out there.

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

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

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

A discovery!!

Malian blues! Very cool sound, and the band's history is really interesting! I am all the way invested in this

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.

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

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

Saharan shredders unite.

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

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.

Wonderful. Improved my day.

Amazing African Blues album.

tight as fuck bro 9/10

afrika mia

Old School rock'n roll met Malinese zang. Top!

Great

This was rad. Tribal blues rock, yes please. I thoroughly enjoyed this when it came out and glad I was reminded of its awesomeness.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Rhythms, Tones, Layering. Expertly done.

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

A soon as I saw Desert Blues my ears perked up. As soon as the opening notes of Soubour kicked in I knew I was in for a treat. What a delightful album. Faves: Soubour, Igranda, Jolie

Great African Blues!

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.

Rating: 10/10

Incredible music, love this

Desert Blues is my most favorite world music genres. I first got into African rock music in the 90s, through a co-worker at a Caribbean restaurant who was from Zimbabwe who got me into Fela. I would show him bands like The Clash and Velvet Underground. Later on, I found those Zamrock! comps and just got interested rock music from Africa. Another coworker introduced Group Inerane and I got into Tuareg and desert blues. It’s so interesting to hear blues rock return to its roots. Instead of American blues with straight forward 2/4 beats, this Polyrhythmic closer to funk with emphasis on the one. Circular, arpeggiated guitar parts and loops. I love this stuff. 4.3

I enjoyed this! Not something I’d listen to all the time but very good nonetheless.

4/5

Once you learn that the author of ‘1001 albums’ hasn’t listened to the albums, sometimes one generates, and you wonder, in this case “I bet he only put this album here to counter claims he doesn’t include music from around the world” and so I come into this album with low expectations, as my research for the album felt uber limited. So I end up surprised when I end up really enjoying the sounds on this album, it really is something nice that I never would’ve even discovered if not for this list. As oddball of an inclusion it is, and whatever reason its inclusion may be, I am here for it

Perfect album for this sort of list and project, give me more of this instead of the 30th fucking mediocre britpop album

Always great to hear something on this list, that's not from England of even from the western music world. This is nice, blues influenced rock which is rally fun. Could use a little more edge and variation, though, and drums are pretty boring, I sometimes thought I was hearing a drum machine.

Hell yeah this rocked. A little bit too much time spent on songs that had basically nothing besides guitar towards the end but otherwise, this was great.

Very interesting. Never listened to Mail music before. I dig this.

This is what guitars should sound like. Mali, the real home of the blues!

This was an exceptional surprise to me, the musicianship here is really top notch! A few of the songs oddly reminded me of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, this is why I started this project!

What a surprise this was. Pure vibes

This is the sort of thing that makes me like this project. I would never be introduced to this music otherwise. I had it on while I was painting and it was nice to make art to.

Interesting to read about the formation of this band after their exile from their homeland of Mali. It's a union of African vocals and American blues guitar. Great album, I'd love to see this band live.

doesnt understand a single word but straight vibe

Excellent African blues guitar album.

Really liked this !!!

Very fun music. Good for a warm summery day.

I like it.

Cool African blues fusion music, interesting backstory, pretty fun listen.

I don’t need to understand the language to appreciate how TALENTED these guys are. And how good the beats are! I was bopping my head immediately to the first song. I am so glad I discovered them. What a gem. Their story makes me tear up. This is the one of the best examples of the healing power of music.

Great mix of blues rock with African vocals. Really enjoyed this album.

oh. mein. gott. das war suuuper, hat mich zwischendurch an house of the rising sun erinnert, sehr nice und interessant und vibey

The good shit that makes you want to keep going through the list. Fun and energetic.

I enjoyed this album and checked out the background of Songhoy Blues. I wish I could understand their lyrics. Wouldn't surprise me if they sang really meaningful songs. Their musical style is sound and distinctive.

Excellent!

The emotion comes through even though I don’t understand what they’re saying

⭐⭐⭐⭐- Blues rock med world-music twist. Fräsch och kul. Förstår såklart inget men det spelar absolut ingen roll. Det svänger, det har grit och är engagerande. Velar mellan en hög 3a och svag 4a, tycker inte riktigt det håller hela vägen för 4a. Blir en svag 4a för det gör mig glad. Bäst är Soubour, Irganda, Nick, Petit metier

This was probably the most unique band I’ve ever listened to. Indie/blues/folk sounding riffs with African lyrics wow. fell off in the last 2-3 tracks but otherwise very enjoyable and unique.

Nice find. Toe tapping.

A new name and album to me, and what a find. An excellent Desert Blues album.

Really liking this! Wasn't expecting such a fun album.

Solid 4, love this beautiful world music

Really nice to listen to. Great vocals and guitar work in particular. Loved Soubour when it came out and it still slaps.

I really enjoyed this, African rock, one of the songs I really liked but I forget which one

strong 6music vibes, but I enjoyed that

Love it. Listening to it while working was good.

Very Nice! Some good blues mixed with some sounds I haven’t experienced before, but I can dig it!

Wonderful.

A little repetitive, but really nice listening, good rock and roll

I had literally no clue what they were saying, but it was a really fun time. I'd be a little surprised if this sticks around in newer versions of this list, but it's so unique and definitely not something I would have listened to without this list. Favorite Songs: Soubour, Al Hassidi Terei

Mi sono piaciute molto, ovviamente il testo non ho idea di cosa parli peró hanno un bel ritmo

Great album, no favorite songs but listened to it three times.

C'MON BOYS THIS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT. Super solid album. Cool influences. Great sound.

Nice nice nice. Nee experience, sounds cool

interesting

It is alright but not my sort of thing

cool af 4/5

A really interesting blend of musical styles. A truly unique album on here, which is not easy when there are 1001 on the list. There is much to like, and really nothing to dislike here. It just misses something to really make it stand out among the many really good albums. 4/5

Okay, this was pretty damn awesome. Hell yeah.

Great! Not sure what I was expecting, but the quality throughout is impressive. It's varied and consistently enjoyable. Not being able to understand the lyrics wasn't a huge downside, but it was a little frustrating, since I imagine it would've elevated the experience even more. Truly a great album!

Yes, this was cool!

Vibrant colourful blues

Un très grand oui Génial, un album de blues en 2015 c'est très très très ballzy. C'est super en tout cas

Incroyable, tellement d'énergie

7/10

I really liked this. The guitars sounded awesome, the whole thing sounded like a gritty blues album with African melodic and rhythmic influences.

Excellent blues but I love the garage rock vibes to some of it.

Liked this quite a bit

2 songs in, and I’m loving this. Ok… the rest of the album did not disappoint. This music is just fun (in places), moving (in places), and infectious throughout. Just grooves. Such a find. Would have never known about this group or this “desert blues” music from Mali but for this project. This is one of those records I was hoping to find . Absolutely love this! Adding to my regular rotation.

Blows everything else I've had this past week out of the water. Exasperated by the poor choices over the past few days. Contemplating giving up on the whole thing, but this has restored my faith! It’s a genre I was completely unaware of but it’s superb stuff and highly recommended.

Overall: 4.11 (rounded to 4) Consistency: 4.45 Originality: 3.5 Enjoyment: 4.5 Virtuosity: 4 1. Soubour - 5 2. Irganda - 5 3. Al Hassidi Terei - 4 4. Sekou Oumarou - 4 5. Nick - 5 6. Ai Tchere Bele - 4 7. Wayei - 4 8. Petit Metier - 5 9. Jolie - 4 10. Desert Melodie - 5 11. Mali - 4

This is exactly the type of album I signed up on this site for.

YES! This is the shit I anticipated signing up for this list!

this is nice. i don't think i'm often in the mood for something like this, but this is still lovely music. would listen to it again

Very fun listen! Never heard of desert blues and never listened to a band from Mali before. Great experience, why I love this list.

När det är mycket blues inspiration är det kanon. Däremellan plattare. En svag fyrs

Really loved this one. I'd never heard of Songhoy Blues but I'm very happy to be introduced to them. Their rhythm and tempo was just the perfect soundtrack to my sunny bank holiday. Great vibes all round. Favourites: Soubour Irganda Nick Al Tchere Beli

Super cool album and incredible story. I’m going to have to seek out this documentary. Great listen.

This was cool! I love finding music like this on the generator. Great guitar work on this album.

3.75 - That was a great first time listen.

I mean, you can definitely tell they LOVE The Black Keys and Led Zeppelin. And that’s fine, doing something inspired by someone else isn’t bad, and they do it pretty well here. The instrumentation is fun, the choruses are catchy, one can only assume the lyrics are phenomenal. I wouldn’t know, but I’m assuming. Favorites: Soubour, Irganda, Ai Tchere Bele

This was much more interesting than many of the English speaking albums on this list.

Fun

8/10 - Fantastic album. one of the reasons i love the 1001 challenge - i never would've given these folks a chance. Not a clue what the songs are about, but I feel the passion and energy the group brings Fav Tracks: Soubour, Wayei Heard before? ---–- ❌ Saved a Song? ----- ❌ Saved Album? --–-- ✅ Will Listen Again? -- ✅ Album Cover ------- back. street. boys. ALRIGHT

It was good this. Blusey and funky

Groovy and awesome. Hopefully the sentiment of the words is okay 😅

Once, many years ago, I heard Bombino at Ottawa Folk Festival. I was entranced. I bought his CD. I never listened to it again. Perhaps this type of music is better live. Anyway, I liked this but I'd know better than to buy the CD now.

fun, danceable ... repetitive. punkish blues from Mali

Finally, something I hadn’t heard of that turns out to be really good! I’ll be checking out everything else these guys have released.

Funky. Bangers.

this was a really interesting one!! i have not really listened to a lot of blues records, let alone desert blues, but i really appreciated the instrumentation! this makes for very wonderful background music, and the language they sing in (north african i think?) sounds very warm. this was also just a nice break from all the rock. not much else to add, was just a really pleasant time. highlights: soubour, sekou oumarou, al hassidi terei

When to listen: in the mood for a global jam sound. Good energy. cool influences, cool story.

This is why I'm doing the 1001 Albums - finding little gems like this that I would be very unlikely to find on my own. It's a fun album with a really unique sound.

should come with a warning label BANGER ALERT

A pleasing diversion. Good musicianship and some decent songs. Nice to have a bit more variety than the usual fare.

Really enjoyed this despite it being pretty rainy - it feels like the kind of thing that ought to be playing in the blazing heat of a summer day. Repetitive melodic phrases and singing but not to the point where I ever got bored of it, sharing a similar hallmark to the afrobeats of Fela Kuti. The lack of brass didn’t lose anything too significant here though, and if anything, made me pay more attention to the percussive elements which I really enjoyed. Something worth revisiting.

Desert blues from Timbuktu?? I could get behind this. Thank god it's actually something. Oh none of its English. That's kinda hype. Very interesting. Wow this is actually music in exile. I'm really rocking with this. Amazing guitar work on this bad boy. Really really like this one. The guitar is genuinely breathtaking. Favourite: Irganda Least favourite: Nick

Three men with the same surname (unrelated) came together to create an album drawing from their Songhoy heritage, however, don't be mistaken - it is a rock album, as the guitar riffs often make the songs in the album. The cultural and political context of the album is both devastating and inspiring. After an islamic oppressor forbids any music, creating such an album is both a celebration of the heritage and a resistance to those who want to silence those who sing. Favourite songs: Petit Metier, Jolie, Desert Melodie. Songhoy Blues blend the ethnic rhythms with a traditional rock sound to create a transformative sound that is as unique, as it is welcomed.

Great guitar jams on this one. I was definitely grooving. I think I've heard 2 artists from Timbuktu and both just killed on guitar. New travel destination unlocked???

I liked it a lot - would never have heard of it without this. I love the beat - reminds me a bit of Bhundu Boys.

Almost skipped the whole album because of the car add first song but the rest is amazing

This is the best part of the challenge, finding an album you’d never listen to usually and discovering a hidden gem

This was awesome! Better and more interesting than most stuff I hear in the states while still retaining catchiness and musicality

I wasn’t familiar with the term “Desert Blues,” but it’s quite clear that the blues must play an important role in parts of Africa. On *Music In Exile*, Songhoy Blues seamlessly blend American and African influences, thereby demonstrating where the blues tradition originates. In comparison, I would describe the “African school” as more relaxed and rhythmic than the traditions from the Mississippi Delta or Chicago. I find it fascinating, and it’s definitely worth a listen. This project is perfect for discoveries like this!

Another one I really enjoyed. This little side quest is great because I know I love music from around the world but it can feel overwhelming deciding where to start but this keeps bringing me music I would never have known to search for but is absolutely my kind of thing!

Really enjoyed this album, but it didn’t fully stand out for me. Very talented, but at times the songs blended together a little. Still I love finding new music like this on the list that I probably would have never come across on my own.

Honestly, I never thought an album like this would find its way onto the list. Thought the creator would find a way to include another Elvis Costello album instead. Awesome sub-sahel sound. Not my favorite of the genre but a great addition.

Don’t know this… Really lovely. This is why I’m here. 4 stars. Boolean rating: yes, very glad to hear before I die. Hopefully I can listen many more times before I shuffle off this mortal coil.

Refreshing, fun, lively, interesting.

Great guitar, strong vocals, big energy. And also a breath of fresh air to have something a little different on this list ha is absolutely smothered with western music.

What? This is fire. Soubour will be a repeated listen I can tell.

This was really good! I enjoyed the vibes

This album was a 'vibe'. Loved it. The lyrics...I don't speak the language, but they worked as an instrument in themselves.

This was a great discovery for me, really enjoyed it and definitely entered by regular rotation.

Very beautiful. Mdou Moctar without the wailing overdrive.

Første halvdel e kanon, så dabbe det litt av. Runde opp til firer.

Wonderful music. I am acquainted with some of this 'Bamako music' via Ali Farka Touré, Amadou et Mariam, Tinariwen, and others. The documentary featuring this band escaped my notice, and I may have to look for a time to watch it.

I have never heard of this band before, didn’t understand a word they sang but the music was fantastic! Have it on my list of an album to buy.

Another album that was totally new to me, and it’s a great listen. Favourite track: Petit Metier

First thought: "well, I've never listened to music from Mali before." Second thought: "oh damn, there's a riff here." It's distinctly bluesy and very guitar and vocals-based. There are a bunch of influences that are totally distinct from my Western blues experiences, though: melodies sound like they have an influence from Arab or Indian vocal melodies with all the ornamentation and the guitar riffs during rhythm sections sound almost like Chinese zither melodies. I can't tell you if those are real relationships or if they're coincidences and this is all pure Malian influence; I'm more or less floating in space in terms of how unmoored I am. Apparently, there's a whole genre called Desert Blues that I've never heard of and this is my introduction to it. That's exactly what I'm working through The List for. 4/5; not world-bending but what a record and what an intro to a genre

It was not at all what I was expecting. In a very good way. It really has a special spiritual listening experience. But it's also a punching rock album. Track 3 is a great example for that. Track 7 also has great spiritual qualities to it, with the high backing vocals, rolling guitar, and vamp feeling. Lovely track. 8 is one of the most moving here. A very strong chorus. Also the acoustic closer, Mali, is a highlight. I really enjoyed this one. It's wonderful, worm, deep, groovy and and fun. It deserves a 4.

Didn't understand a thing but I really enjoyed it.

I really loved this. This was the kinda album I was hoping to pick up on this endeavor. Something I wouldn’t ever run across on my own.

This was really cool. Enjoyed it a lot. Quite a different feel to it.

That was pretty awesome. Could make good working music

Love this sound from Mali. Great sample of music from there.

African music is the heart of blues music and subsequently rock n roll as well. It's fascinating to hear that American art form refiltered through its African roots. I've been a fan of Ali Farka Touré for many years now and there are obviously a lot of similarities between his work and Songhoy Blues. But SB are different enough to make it a unique and interesting listen. 4/5

Wasn't expecting this, but some solid rock and blues.

Love this. Album flew by, took me to a place and I love the rhythms.

I liked this way more than I expected to

Wait this is amazing!!! First three songs are complete BANGERS.

I had worried this list would be English-only and was gladly mistaken. This album was a lot of fun and combined a few different styles of music I like to make something I liked even a little more.

Good album fantastic spacious guitar sound. This African Desert Blues has been a welcome addition to the rock landscape in the 21st century. They’re better live than on this album though and other Malian guitar groups have exceeded it. But a solid addition to their cannon.

Songs recorded in a context that can't be imagined from a European or US-American perspective, in which political statements are a foundation of the music itself.

another new band for me. always on the lookout for good Afro pop, and this fits the bill. great stuff

I really like this one, refreshing and upbeat, very different to what I normally listen to. My only ding is the songs and the album seem to be at one speed. Most songs jump into an up tempo groove and just don't deviate at all - no tempo change to build tension. Definitely so.e exceptions but a lot of it felt like it was on the same pattern. Will be back!

Driving beats, precise play – sounds like a hell of a lot of fun during the recording.

‘Songhoy Blues’ – the band name made me fear the worst. Because anyone who knows me knows how little I can be bothered with 95% of the blues and blues-rock noodling out there. But fortunately, the album has very little to do with classic blues or blues-rock; instead, it is an excellent example of African ‘Desert Blues’ (according to Wikipedia), which is musically much more complex. Although, of course, you can’t understand a single word – the lyrics are apparently in Songhay, the language of northern Mali – the music is rhythmically structured and universally accessible. A good example of an album I probably would never have heard if it weren’t for the “1001 albums you must hear before you die” website.

La verdad que pense que no me iba a gustar por que nunca lo vi en mi vida, pero la verdsd me gustó.

good god, 'Soubour' is a fuckin BOP

it's a vibe

Never heard of this band or this project, but this shit ruled.

Very enjoyable upbeat listen

Well this was a surprise. I thought I wouldn't like it but it is a surprisingly nice album to listen to.

surprisingly good album

This album is pretty unique!

v cool

Pretty enjoyable.

Hvem skulle trodd at musikk kunne være gøy! ZZ Top i toppform men de er Fela Kuti-stans? Noe sånt. Best når de glemmer at de egentlig skal spille bluesrock. Sterk 3er? Lunken 4er? Nå synes jeg det har vært såpass mye dritt at det her høres ut som et mesterverk i forhold.

For en energibunt av en plate. Fett!

Catchy

Some of the best driving music I have ever heard. Funky ass blues. 3.6

nice and smooth album

This album is amazing and happy to see it on the list.

3.5

Surprised but a good un

lyrics are not english, but the music is nice. Good beat, great rhythms.

refreshing in the sea of white rock. zamrock will always be better to me

Didn't understand any of the lyrics but the music was really good.

I enjoyed this record very much. The blues meets African traditional music is a good fusion.

Didn’t know anything about the album going into it, but it really WAS blues, and very good blues at that. Fun things happening on the guitar there.

really enjoyed that! loved the blend of their traditional music influences and blues. Fav tracks: Soubour, Mali

This was so good!! I feel bad that these guys don't seem to have much recognition. I really enjoyed listening to this and I thought it was very well put together in most aspects. The vibe also seemed to change seamlessly towards the end and it finished on a completely different note to how it started.

Really cool sound with harmonies that really compliment the music. In a way I think the language barrier benefitted this as I was able to focus on the way the words fit with the melodies better.

My dad used to listen to this kind of music so I have a degree of fondness for it. That said, every song sounded basically the same.

GREAT!

It’s good. I don’t think I’ve listen to much African rock if any and this is a nice album to introduce the style. Although I can’t understand what they are saying I don’t mind it at all. If the music is good the music is good.

Really good vibe

Glad this was brought to my attention. Really cool. Into the desert blues.

These dudes rock harder than like 80% of current western bands combined.

This is the kind of different, if a little samey, that I like

This was really enjoyable! I'm not typically a blues fan, but I really liked this. Very unexpected. :)

It feels weird to do a vibes-based review on something that, as I understand it, is supposed to be a collection of modern takes on Mali folk songs. I always struggle with reviewing songs in languages that I don't speak, since I don't know what's being said, especially with music where the lyrics are clearly a big part of the songs. With that said, I liked what I heard; I just wonder how I would review this if I actually understood the language.

Oh damn, this is immediately entering the rotation

Perfect example of an album I would've never encountered without this list!

Mali is an untapped reservoir of amazing artists. These Toure boys are just a few. Great musicianship and the language of music is universal.

loved this, and love to be reminded of the musical connections across the african diaspora!

I really enjoyed this one. I may not have understood the lyrics, but I really enjoyed the way they were sung and I loved the guitar. I really liked the energy of the songs. Fav song: Petit Metier Least fav: Wayei

Quite enjoyed this one. Guitar was pretty good if a bit samey. Didn’t like the slower ones. Specific rating - 4.1 Fav song - soubour Least fav - mali

I really enjoyed the sounds of this album and reading about them makes the title all the more meaningful. You can really feel the emotions in the music even if you can't understand the lyrics (and google was very little help on the lyrics). Always lovely to hear a good album I never would have sought out without the list. Favourite song: Petit Metier (also loved the first couple of songs) Least: Al Tchere Bele

DELICIOUS. I loved every track on this album; the depth and growth of the music across each song and the album as a whole was a sheer joy. I feel sorry for people who think that if music is in another language, they can't enjoy it fully. This had me groovin!!

A very excellent rock album! I appreciate the fusion of traditional African music and western rock. Did not resonate with me fully on the first listen, likely due to all the songs being in the artists native language, but that is a me problem

Amo como suenan las guitarras y las diferentes maneras que tiene para tocarlas... me gusta la combinación instrumental tiene, amé

This is an example of why I love this site. I've never heard of this band before and now I'm a fan!

I was FEELING this. Loved every song.

I feel there is a greater level of appreciation I'm missing out on with this record from not speaking Songhai. I'm left to evaluate the music on its own merits, and the resulting mix of blues with Songhai musical elements is very intriguing. Songhoy Blues are clearly a talented gang, and while nothing was exactly revelatory, the music here had a passion that was evident from start to finish. The production is also fine, although I tend to be skeptical of the modern blues sound.

No idea what was being said, but I felt it!

Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? 🤔 Would buy on Vinyl? ✅

Really enjoyed this album especially the more blues influenced songs.

Nice instrumentals. Foreign language but their emotion is enough to understand. Would listen again either way.

This album was really good!!

This rips from start to finish with incredible guitar work. The playing is sharp, fast, and constantly driving the songs forward, blending desert blues with a kind of scrappy rock energy that’s hard not to love. Not every track fully sticks with me, but the guitars alone make it an exciting, high-energy listen.

Never heard of them. This is a fantastic find. On my playlist for now.

This was honestly pretty impressive. I'm not usually that into blues or afrobeat as I find them a bit repetitious in many instances (I prefer jazz which has more versatility), but this was the a good marriage of both. Really talented musicianship and catch tracks which even had my kids singing in the car ("Maliiiii, mali"). My only gripe is that some songs are a bit too repetitive, but good all around. 4/5

Really enjoyed this album, great upbeat dance songs

Didn't understand a single thing, but this felt like some drugs were put into the songs - the music, the melody was so good and live, while the sound of their voices gave a nice boost. Really enjoyed this!

Usually, I am not a big fan of music in languages I don't understand. And I did not expect to enjoy this album as much as I did. No chance I am going to put this on and listen to it casually, but I did really like it.

No idea what they're saying but this was cool.

Super cool sound

Good rock

Honestly a very solid album. Great mix of both western influence and Mali culture.

Loved hearing something new and different I otherwise never would've listened to.

je comprends rien mais c'est agréable (c'est faux en plus ya une musique en français)

Beats

High quality. There’s so much Malian music that could be on this list. I don’t know enough, I’m sure, to say which Malian albums are essential. But this sounds so, so good. Lively, bluesy, involving.

this is a sample of "desert blues", a genre of rock music hailing from the northwest parts of africa; and it's pretty cool listening to new genres you're aren't familiar with. this blend really works for the most part, african melodies that make you want to sing along in a call and response manner with cool rock backing tracks... a lot of it is really good but some of it sounds like a ford commercial.

Hell yeah. This is why I'm here! Never heard this one. Ripping solos and great composition throughout. Very cool.

Fun sounding and unique songs!

idk what this was but it was good.

freakin desert blues from mali in native language

I'm yet to hear an African album i don't like. Is it the groove? Is it the vibe? I don't know, it's just cool.

Super great vibes and the beats are beautiful. Ali Farka is def an influence and that makes this all the better

Good music. Reminds me of cooking with my dad. Four.

Me gustó mucho mucho !!! La música nueva que esperaba la vdd jajaja me sorprendió y las recomendaciones después de escuchar el álbum tmbbb muy buenas!!! El cover de Should I Stay or Should I Go me agarró de sorpresaaaa!

A nice bop

one of my favorite new experiences from the list, absolutely loved it. Listened to it pretty much all day

not a genre i have ever listened to before but immediately loved

Desert Blues > English Blues

Great music with an interesting background and influence. Not only a toe-tapper, but a finger drummer too.

Rebellious but energetic

I’m not familiar with African music But this album was fantastic

Loved this.

this was so sick, exactly the kind of album i’d hoped to get through this thing - an absolute banger which i would’ve never stumbled across myself. also consolidates my belief that lyrics are the least important part of a song because i don’t know what these guys are saying but by god do i know what they are SAYING

More Malian bad boys. Works for me.

Well cool. Upbeat and fun. I just have to trust it's not about bludgeoning kittens and shit because I don't understand a single word. Most of the world music on here is really good and not something I'd ever encounter in the wild. These guys can play.

Good vibes!

Excellent. I wentbinto this knowing nothong about the band or the album. The qlbum rocks along effortlessly.

Rock and roll from Africa! These guys from Mali can lay down the boogie-woogie. This is not "world music" to be played in the background while you shop at a hipster boutique. This is full-on stomping, sludgy kick-out the jams guitar wrangling. I like!

Didn’t understand a word but this album has tons of vibes and the message comes across clear

Sitting in a frozen car waiting for the inner part of the windshield to thaw because the car hasn't been turned on in 6 days. Blast this music and chill in your driveway for 25 minutes

Malian rock. Inject this straight into my veins! Awesome, even though I don’t know what they’re singing about. Driving guitars and rhythms. Love it. Instant 4 but could easily become a 5 with another listen.

I loved this! I have never heard this style of “desert blues”! This makes me want to do research on Mali!

Dont know what they're saying but it sounds good. 3.7/5

Every once and a while I am curious about what music from non-Western cultures breaks into the Western mainstream that heavily informs the universal musical cannon that these books and projects are trying to define. I'm glad this one broke through and it's definitely fun and merits a place in the conversation. However, I don't think it's a perfect album and that it could have benefited from a bit more work and editing.

Look, out of all the West African psych-rock I listen to, this is not my preferred album. I love a lot of this album; there's a sheer joyfulness in music I find missing from a lot of European and American bands, who seem more concerned with performing a seriousness that's not necessary. The idea to incorporate a lot of folk/classic stylings over electric instrumentation ends up being thrilling just in its way to perpetuate the beat without leaving the listener feeling as though they've been dragged along. I do wish I got a little more of everything; the vocals, the riffs, the drumming were all exciting but abridged too soon. Didn't leave enough of a breath to truly sit with it and enjoy it.

4 stars A rare moment of something cool that I knew nothing about before. This is interesting, fun, sounds great, and is not overly long. It makes me want to return to it. I was a bit worried going in but came out enjoying it a lot.

Great energy, great rhythm. Need to dive into the meaning.

What a surprise! Enjoyed the African-blues mix. Will definitely listen again!

Good! I don't really hear how it's different from Mdou Moctar and others, but it's good!

Forgotten how good this album was! Worth checking out Tinariwen if you like this, they're another band from Mali who had to struggle against the Jihadist regime that banned music in the country. If I've got one slight critique it's that the songs blend into each other a little too much. But that might just be my untrained ear to that genre of music.

3.5

This was definitely a pleasant surprise! Never heard of this band from Mali, nor any other musicians from Mali. From the first song I was digging this sound, they are fun and have a great vibe. I bet I'd like it even more if I could understand what they are saying. The layered, circular guitars with African rhythms is pretty cool. After listening to it through 2 times, I have already liked 7 out of 11 songs on Spotify - and I can't wait for them to show up in my automated playlists. I could see myself possibly liking more upon further listens. And now I want to check out some of their other albums Liked songs on Spotify: 7/11 Rating: 4/5