Music in Exile

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

Holy shit this is great!

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

Nice mix between African rythyms with guitars. Al Hassidi Terei was a catchy tune.

This one is fun!

Rich vocals, soulful instrumentation, crisp production. Very little not to like.

Thought this would be American R&B like Boyz to Men. Never judge a book or cd by its cover, anyway. Really enjoyed this, an unexpected pleasure of African modern blues. Fela Kuti meets Orchestra Baobob. The fact that one of the songs is named Nick, my name, is a bonus. This is the reason I'm doing 1001 albums to discover new music I like, that otherwise would never have crossed my path. Probably 3.5 out of 5, but Friday and feeling generous so rounding up to 4 out of 5

Awesome groovy good listen.

This was a great listen, even with the language barrier. I was pleasantly surprised and found more than a few jams that were catchy and enjoyable. Which was particularly impressive, since I do not consider myself a fan of blues, usually, but I liked their spin on it.

I don’t know what the fuck is going on but these boys are spittin. Very good musicality on this album.

7.5/10 Not my usual type of music I listen to but very funky and I enjoyed it!

Very imaginative and nice grooving (thought it was a little bit like talking heads??)

I liked it— took me to the second song to realize it wasn’t in English but Blues transcends such petty concepts as language

This album is a fantastic example of why this process has value. I would have never listened to this album otherwise, and have never heard of the band. Yet I find myself really grooving with it and enjoying the sound despite not understanding the lyrics. Call me a fan.

Surprisingly good.

Did not think I would like this, expecting a very bongo-y world music sound but was pleasantly surprised. Sung in native Mali language but the guitar-playing was phenomenal and the overall rhythm and sound was very enjoyable! A solid 3.5, but will round up since I was proven wrong.

Soulful and exciting. A wonderful debut album that combines the nostalgic blues of the 50s with Saharan sounds in a fresh and new way. Best Tracks: - Soubour - Sekou Oumarou Worst Tracks: - Mali Rating: 8/10

I dont understand the words but im sure its very powerful based on the description. its good blues, i like it

Kul ørkenmusikk

I was skeptical at first when I saw the names Albarn and Casablancas in these Malians background, and when some reviews insisted this wasn’t really world music. I expected something stripped of local character. Instead, it turns out to be genuinely Malian electric music, with strong John Lee Hooker vibes. Naturally, it works perfectly for me. Malian blues, less rigid and less binary than its American counterpart, pretty much guaranteed to hit the spot. I also tried their last album made last year, and it is even better. Still, it’s a shame the lyrics and their translations aren’t easily accessible. Given their troubled background, I would have really liked to read them and not only understand few French words.

Catchy Blues, Rock; in a language I don't understand. Lovely vibes. "Mali" – wonderful song!

Interesting and unexpected and fun. I liked the first half more, it had more hooky (perhaps, more western) melodies and felt more 'groovy'. The second half felt more traditional, still good, but I don't speak the language and there wasn't as much for me to go off of. Interested in listening to the rest of their stuff.

Favourite Songs: Al Hassidi Terei Sekou Oumarou Nick

*Cool, unique blues sound

Började bra, slutade bra, och svängde rakt igenom

Ooft this kicks hard.

Soubour - 4/5 Irganda - 4/5 Al Hassidi Terei - 5/5 Sekou Oumarou - 4/5 Nick - 3/5 Ai Tchere Bele - 5/5 Wayei - 5/5 Petit Metier - 5/5 Jolie - 5/5 Desert Melodie - 4/5 Mali - 3/5 Average score: 4.3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ finally, something new to grace my ears! feels like forever since i've heard anything this interesting didn't know what to expect from Malian blues (or Malian music in general), but this was very enjoyable. non-english music on this list has been hit-or-miss, but this sounds super accessible to just about any listener regardless of country

nigeryjskie arctic monkeys

This was awesome. Like a bluesy ababdou and Miriam. Definitely will get another listen

Rock n roll in an African context. Brilliant. 4/5

Upbeat. Enjoyed.

These guys are a vibe for sure

This was an interesting listen. Never heard of them. Good versions of the blues.

This is one of my favourite albums so far that I hadn’t heard before in this project and hands down the best album I have gotten that was released in the last thirty years (at least of the albums I have gotten so far).

Was für eine Musik, Sehr schön gemacht

great, great, great! some of the newer are additions are really odd, but that's a great album!

335/1089 - What a crazy story for how this group started. Makes me feel grateful for what I have and what I don't have to deal with when living in a Western country with classically liberal values. The music is somewhat samey but also a pleasant combo of blues rock and West African rhythms and melodies.

Sounds like joy. The raw enthusiasm is infectious. I was slightly obsessed with this album when it came out. Really glad it made the list. Strong 4

Great african blues from Mali, a low to mid 4 for me, especially enjoy the high energy tracks, will check out more of their records and the docco film from the same time

mooie blend tss Afrikaans en Westers...blues met sahara kantje... toch een kleine openbaring voor mij

Classic Blues (Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, Kings Albert & BB) mixed with strong Malian influence. A break from the norm for me and highly enjoyable.

I enjoyed that album. It's not really my thing but it was a good listen.

Even without their backstory, this album is great. lively and infectious.

This is why I’m here! Please, more worldwide representation.

Cooler Touareg Rock mit Fokus auf Gitarren, sehr tight

Groovt

I don’t understand the song titles, but I love the sound of Music in Exile. The vocals feel deeply rooted in West African tradition, and the bluesy, crunchy guitars give it a raw, modern edge. “Soubour” is my favorite track.

Pretty good! Enjoyed it once I got into it, not sure if it is one I'll return to all that much.

Interesting. Superb deset blues rock fusion album. Genre bending, language transcending goodness. Will have to check the translated lyrics, but the sound is raw and expressive.

A pleasant surprise. A pretty groovy blues album that trails a little toward the end. Overall a very enjoyable listen.

Another great album I had never heard of, full of foot tapping beats in a wonderful west African blues rock experience. A lively album that was a lot of fun to listen to, while also not over staying its welcome.

Saw these guys open for Alabama Shakes ten years ago. Recall them being pretty good and that opinion hasn't shifted based on this listening experience. They achieved a cool guitar tone and the production is fairly crisp. As for highlights: Nick has a cool swing to it, hypnotic. Wayei- such a beautiful song; aching If the rest of the album were like these songs, it'd quite possibly be a 5-star affair.

Really enjoyed the bluesy guitar driven music on this. Currently a strong 4, might upgrade upon future listens.

Very Radio 6

oh hell yeah!

the vibes are immaculate here!

I love desert blues. As Ali Farka Toure points out, it is not blues, but draws from the same, much older African routes from whence American blues also derived. But it also incorporates elements of Western musical forms, which makes it both familiar and fresh to my Western ears. There are many familiar aspects -- the repetitive guitar riffing, the grooves, the call-and-response vocals, the pentatonic playing -- that are easy for me to understand, but when I dig in, there is much that is engaging and exciting to me, because it is a tradition that I am not familiar with. I particularly love the way that the riffs seem simple, until you start to try to unlock the rhythms, which are complex, layered and often polyrhythmic. The way that influences of Western blues, rock and funk are seamlessly woven into the fabric without being simple copy or pastiche, is a masterclass in influence without appropriation. This album is a good example of the pleasures of desert blues. It is at its best when relatively unpolished, just settling into the groove and bashing it out. The opening song, Soubour, is a particular banger. Ali Farka Toure is originator of desert blues (at least as it is understood in the West) and there have been a bunch of bands that take his lead and run with it. Songhoy Blues were the hot ticket there for a while, but they seem to have been usurped more recently by Mdou Moctar, whose more muscular rock stylings are a bit more to Western tastes. But this a record I would happily play almost any day of the week. Standout track is Soubour.

Really good album. It reminds me of mdou moctar, but I think this came first and I just didn't know. 4/5

First album that came up that I’ve never heard of. Really nice grooves throughout.

Really enjoyed this - never heard of them before but it was great to listen to something new. No idea what they were singing about but didn't detract from the enjoyment.

That was fun

Something I've never heard before!

Hell yeah! Some great guitar playing! Very bluesy!

Very enjoyable blues right off the bat. These guys can groove.

These guys took some Mali music and mixed it with some American blues to create "desert blues", a groovy infectious sound.

Had no idea wht to expect, but got some really solid blues rock. There are great songs in here, and even with the language barrier, you can feel the emotions of these musicians who have been exiled from their home country. Really glad this one’s on the list.

Amazingly infectious music. Even if you don't understand the lyrics, you can't help but enjoy the grooves,

Happy to hear this for the first time. This band rips.

Morm rečt, da me je blo strah tega albuma k sm zjutraj pogledala, kaj me čaka. Po pa še midday migrena, k še zj čutim posledice... Ampak! Zj poslušam prvi komad ("Soubour") in je hud! Hopefully bo cel album najs. So far sami bangerji. "Nick" mi ma mal old school rock'n'roll vajb. Jezik je ful zanimiv, Songhai. (Ugh, maja so bli v Kinu Šiška!) Chill, fajne kitare, prijetno. Will probably listen to again.

Impressive new find

It starts off really strong, but then kind of peters out at the end. But given the contract of the album, it's quite an amazing feat.

I did not expect to discover Malinese blues rock when starting this venture but here we are. Good riffs and guitar play with interesting use of 6/8 rythms to give it tinges of afrobeat. Excellent. Fuck those jihadi's, dance to songhoy blues!

Really cool african rock

#779. Perhaps you'd have to understand what they're talking about to understand how this gets classified as blues, because it seems pretty upbeat and fun from the outside, but it fucks nonetheless. 4/5: great

Another new band I appreciate learning about. I love their sound, and need to find a good translation so I can understand the lyrics. I feel like they have a lot to say about what forced them out of their country.

African jams similar to Fela Kuti. 4/5

A genuinely pleasant discovery: soulful tunes with fun guitars

# Album Name: Music in exhile # Artist: Songhoy Blues # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Not a bad effort! probably the best african album ive had on this list. Its quite an enjoyable listen throughout. But no one song really stood out. A VERY low 4. More like a 3.5 # Top Tunes: No idea # Would I listen to it again? Probably

I'm wondering how the critics at the time thought this album would become a defining influence in popular music, but I'm not complaining. This is still a fantastic album that blends the traditions of its creators with the passionate energy of blues rock. What may come across as the trite, stadium-sized "alt-rock" of acts like X Ambassadors is transformed into a soulful, engaging performance by way of African polyrhythms and vocal stylings. In the second half, the band takes a slower, stripped-down approach and shifts its focus to a more folk-inspired sound. While I do enjoy the first half more, the entire project remains a great listen and neither side of the group overstays its welcome. If you're looking for a project that takes the elements of American music and makes something unique from it, I would highly recommend checking this out. Favorite Tracks: Soubour, Al Hassidi Terei, Petit Metier, Desert Melodie Score: A

It's like a better rockabilly, more fun and full of action. I need more Desert Blues. I need more of this. God bless. Best Tracks: Desert Melodie, Mali, Ai Tchere Bele, Irganda, Jolie

Very very good. Unique, interesting, melodic, soulful and authentic.

This is the kinda stuff I started following this project for. Hell yeah

Quite an interesting blues sound on this album. I probably didn't enjoy it as much as I should have, but I still think it's very good. 3.5/5.0: Very Good

This was a great listen - I was familiar with the first track as it had quite a bit of radio play at the time on BBC 6Music, but for some reason I never explored them further. I'm glad this record cropped up, I've a feeling it's going to send me down a bit of a rabbit hole. Their description on Apple Music as a 'Desert Blues' band doesn't nearly do them justice - this is energetic, spirited, infectious music that needs to be played loud. The Led Zeppelin and Clash covers were good fun too.

Desert blues: slightly new to me, yet very much good. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’d love to keep there, but I think I’ll bump it down to a 4. This album is a brilliant ball of electric guitar-infused blues rock, with a West Africa lean, brought on by the exile forced upon its band members to ongoing civil occupations caused by Sharia law. Granted, my geopolitical knowledge is rather minimal, so I’m certainly not an expert to speak on how this album came together, but I’m very glad they’ve channeled whatever frustrations that must’ve arisen from the situation into a great album. I don’t really understand any lyrics here, but I’m guessing based on a good chunk of the vocal passion thrown in that there’s certainly some level of political content in the lyrics, even in broad, chanted, rhythmic strokes. The instrumentation is where this album shines, with this album at its very best when it approaches everything with a rock lean at higher tempos. The opening track “Soubour” won me over immediately, and it felt like the album was gonna easily roll all the way to a 5. The thing that’s stopping me from giving this a 5, and sort of stumbling down to a 4, is simply in the luster of the album going away to my ears. It’s a very dazzling album when it starts, and it carries its momentum well through the first 6 tracks or so, but save for “Petit Metier” & “Mali”, I found myself catching a generalized production pattern that slowly pulled the energy away. I think most of the last few tracks boil down to an acoustic guitar melody, a hypnotic chanty vocal style, and a slightly looping bass / percussion track, done in a way that doesn’t feel as distinct & as enrichening as the first 6 tracks came across. If you listen to a track like “Nick” or “Ai Tchere Bele”, there’s a noticeable bounciness to the percussion, coming across in a way that almost feels sort of like an Irish jig – that energy is infectious, and even when it loops a little bit, you don’t feel it because it’s just fun. When this album slows down then, that sameyness feels more amplified, and the later tracks just didn’t hook me as well as a result. They’d probably feel great on their own, but as a flowing album experience, it just didn’t fully hit for me. I do think if I had proper translations of the lyrics in front of me (which I could not find to save my life), it could easily change my perspective of some of the atmosphere / tone of the back half of the album, but given that the first half carries itself so strongly from a musical standpoint, that shift in energy doesn’t come across as well to my ears. Don’t get me wrong: this is a *great* album. The issues I have with it are just down to personal taste; I highly recommend it regardless, and I’m very glad it’s on the list, because I certainly wouldn’t have found it otherwise. I’d love to keep this at a 4.5, but given that I found myself more disengaged for the back half of the album, solely from a musical standpoint, I think I’d be lying to myself if I bumped this up to a 5, hence the 4. A highly recommended 4 though.

Cover 5 I fucking like this band! No idea what they're saying though. Desert Blues for the win. Awesome. Never knew there were blues music outside the U.S.

Very good stuff. Nothing really stands out, but there's some great guitar and vocals on every song.

Very cool. First track is a banger and the rest doesn't hold up quite as well, but this is something I really enjoyed. Would listen to it again, and plan on checking out some more of their music. Actually looked up their tour, I bet they're probably really good live but it doesn't look like they're headed to the States anytime soon.

This was great! 4 stars

This "desert blues" style of Afro-pop was new to me and I really enjoyed this. No need to understand the lyrics, the music communicates everything. Love this kind of introduction to something I wouldn't ordinarily listen to. Gritty, raw, and real

Very cool background to these guys and a very cool record. Felt Kuti/ Talking Heads vibes on some tracks, then you've got the electric blues and the traditional Malian music, makes for an engaging listening experience, really the kind of thing i like to hear on the list

It's always nice when this list veers away from the white anglo-americans males. Although most of the modernish picks I've encountered have not been great, this is pretty enjoyable. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? No Owned: No: 29/111 (23%) Will I get? No

Ziemlich cool

The album is so varied it is hard to pin down. It's the entire career of some rock groups in one work. There is a common thread of call and response in most of the songs, which grounds it, and the technical skill is obvious throughout.

4.50 every song was good will go back

Infectious rhythms

Rating: 7.5/10

Today I learned that sharia law was imposed in northern Mali. The group Songhoy Blues--with three of four men named Touré, no relation--fled and brought us this gem of "desert blues," a fusion of American blues hooks and Malian grooves. I am here for it.

i must admit i do not "get" the blues (cue the line: you were not put on this earth to GET IT mister jack burton!!!), but that's not for lack of trying. in fact, i don't even need to lift a finger: i live with a blues superfan so i hear the blues on a regular basis whether i want to listen to it or not. i have a healthy respect for the genre and its history, but it tends to elicit the same feelings as when i'm listening to some acoustic set, and i happen to be the vice president of the incorrigible acoustic set hater club. but where i will totally write off paired down, sonically boring yet self-indulgent slop, i will otherwise nod and concede defeat to the blues: i don't quite understand, but maybe someday i will. well, today happened to be the day: music in exile brought out sounds and textures that absolutely resonated with me, and i'm glad i've finally been able to listen to something "bluesy" and not feel the need to grimace and hide my pain. i don't even know if i could articulate what it was about this album that made me like it more than others: because, it like, actually sounded good???? i dunno man... regardless: this was a real treat of an album. those first two songs were real barn burners if i'd ever heard em, though the rest of the album didn't quite reach the same high for me. but this is the kind of stuff i wanted to listen to starting 1001, so im a happy camper. great stuff!!! highlights - soubour, irganda, sekou oumaru, petit metier, jolie, mali

So incredibly good. Had never heard of them. Absolutely loved it.

Very unique and compelling, if slightly repetitive. 4.

very bouncy rhythm, you dont hear stuff like this much in America. something new for me, I enjoyed it

The reason I started this list was to find gems like this.

Upbeat funk with hints of country, rock and blues. Feels like a western movie got transported into Africa.

Really good music with interesting vocals. 4 stars or B.

Very enjoyable! American style blues slips into that boogie reminiscent to Fela Kuti.

A blues based album I liked! If I may re-use my review of The Clash: "I have no idea what these blokes are saying, but I like their style!"

Fab album and a nice change. Not my very favourite thing, and defo in the 'somewhere between 3 and 4 lands', but I think over halfway.

a lot better than i was expecting

Well, as many others have said, this is exactly what this list is about. An album I would have never otherwise found and very enjoyable. I wonder if these things are more valued when they take on a Western slant, as opposed to to representing a particular culture completely (as with some other low rating albums on the list). Really great musicianship and structure. Very talented and really well arranged too. A nice mix of the traditional Mali vocals and parts, alongside the traditional blues. Very glad to have been able to hear this and love its quality and originality.

Unique story to this one, and a real cool album. Great sounding and very listenable. Fun instrumentals and rhythms.

4.0 One of the 'redacted' (removed from future versions) albums - this is unfortunate as "world music" is underrepresented on this list and one of the reasons I've embraced this challenge. Surprisingly good. Not speaking Songhai I have no idea what the lyrics are but I assume they are strongly political. Many songs (including a titled song) include Mali. I believe they are technically Tadaksahak speakers which is a dialect of Songhai but their beats and hooks come through beautifully. I found myself singing in Tadaksahak.

Like the background music in every movie that shows a safari or nature view in Africa.

very very fun

The type of band i would never had discovered except by here! What a blues treasure.

Delightful world, music, well crafted, and produced

Day 65 Another brilliant album I would never have listened to without this website. 9/10 Highlights Soubour Irganda Petit Metier

Really cool . Saved to my list

10/16/25. Absolutely love this sound and what I believe the cool use of cross-rhythms in a number of the songs. Each song wants to make me move!

A good one 👍

Loved this except for track one. What in the Toyota Hilux commercial was that?

Let’s get this corrected right off the bat: this is not “World Music.” Songhoy Blues are a blues rock band in the style of like a Stevie Ray Vaughn, it’s just the lyrics are in their native Malian tongue. I really really enjoyed this one. They are all about the art of the electric guitar, and man can they play the hell out it. Really difficult to not move my body to the grooves while here at my desk. I will definitely be looking out for these guys to tour in the future, as I feel listening to this in a club would be fantastic. Read up on their story, too, as they have persevered through a ton of hardship to get their music out to the world to try to uplift their war-torn community. Just two meh songs toward the end of the record keep it from the almighty 5, but this is a very strong 4/5. Give em a listen!

I listened to this one before. The cover might trick you. This is some blues based rock from Mali and it is really interesting because it mixes the blues with some African beats and instruments.

Very cool stuff here. Takes blues conventions and african conventions - real repetitive loopy guitar, mordents, chants etc and mushes them together for something not new exactly, but nice.

It's unsurprising how natural African rock music feels, considering that Western rock was born out of African traditions. This album is pretty great, and there's a really fascinating story behind it. Favorite track: "Sekou Oumarou"

very nice rhythms and very enjoyable melodies.

This album is just easy to listen to. And after a listen, I read the story of the group and how the album name fits in. I'm glad we have the chance to hear this group.

I guess their exile, my gain.

I knew I was going to enjoy this album in the first 18 seconds. Greats suggestion.

Greta album.

A very enjoyable listen. It's a great fusion of sounds which is welcoming yet fresh to my ears. Will be returning to this at some point.

Different but good

I don't know much about African music, but these dudes rock.

Hmm. The blues, born of African music, returns to Africa. Fascinating. I genuinely have never heard anything quite like this. I was thinking three at first, but four is calling.

this Desert Blues is good stuff!

3.5/5 - I listened to this 2, almost 3 times through, and enjoyed the "desert blues" quite a bit -- good guitar sounds. I'd probably put the lead track on a mixtape. I don't think I'd explore more in this sub-genre, but this was worth a few listens for sure. Rounding up because it's not from the 70s or British.

Favorite Track: Nick

Je

Really dig their sound.

Good funky stuff. Complex rhythms but still sounding loose and flowing. Well worth the listen

From the opening chords of ¨Soubour¨ you know you’re going to be in for a treat. Without even knowing the background of the musicians, the ¨Sahel/Sahara¨ rock pulls you in and smothers you with a warm blanket. I can’t say I’ve ever wanted to go to the Sahel but damn if they don’t produce amazing musicians. Mali is a mysterious, vaguely dangerous sounding place, well off the beaten track for all but the hardiest travelers. Still, if Songhoy Blues is from there it can’t be all bad. The ¨desert blues¨ genre is a bit broad and vague but the two things that unite the musicians across the region are incredible guitar lines and rhythms that make it impossible to sit still. ¨Irganda¨ is a bit more tribal, with some call-and-response vocals and a beat that won’t let you go. What did this music sound like before they added electric guitars? I’m not sure, but it’s a natural fit and the world is better for this. ¨Sekou Oumarou¨ is slow, catchy, perfect for a smoke session in the shed behind your parent’s house. Bob Marley who? ¨Desert Melodie¨ sounds like something you’d be listening to in a tent in the desert at night- it’s one of the most relaxing things I can imagine. What I love about this record and records like it is how you can put on something good, regardless of genre or language and still relate to and vibe with it. I don’t know what me and the Songhoy Blues guys have in common, but hearing something they’ve put out into the world (with love) reminds me that we’re all human. Best songs: ¨Soubour,¨¨Sekou Oumarou,¨ ¨Desert Melodie¨

vibey. Felt very alt at times

Wonderful discovery

I was delightfully surprised by this one. The guitar sounds like Jimmy Paige meets Chuck Berry. Really high quality production. Definitely will get a respin and a dive into more of their discography. 3.7 outta 5

This is the kind of thing that I was hoping to be exposed to while doing this project; instead, it's been mostly 70's folk rock. I cannot understand any of the words, but I can feel the emotion behind them. More of this please, algorithm; less Radiohead and less Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young. 4 stars.

Good, interesting music

This album has such a vibe. I especially loved Irganda

Entirely new listening experience for me. I'd never heard any desert blues or even anything from Mali, so I went in completely blind and was pleasantly surprised. Soubour added to Liked Songs.

Very good

Cool album Standout songs: Soubour Irganda Nick

Музыка: 7/10 Разнообразие: 8/10 Тематика и вайб: 8/10 Цепляемость (отдельные песни зашли): 7/10 Реиграбельность (можно ли рандомно врубить на фон): 7/10 Итог: 7.4

I had ZERO idea of what to expect when I got given this album, but what I found was an incredibly groovy and infectious blues album. I don't know if "desert blues" is an official genre, I just know I'm now a fan and need to find more of it.

Perfect tunes for moving to another place.

Pretty great. I don't understand why people rate music a one just because the lyrics aren't in English

yes!

4.2

Bluesy rock. Ferocious and beautiful at times

They should call these guys the white keys

You know what? for not knowing what they're singing about, I dig their sound.

Something novel, wonderful bassy crunchy vibes throughout , and a breath of fresh air.

I wasn't expecting this, but it was very interesting. Definitely something new and unique, so I appreciate that. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked it.

Great sound from an international group and a pleasant listen

Really good blues rock music

Songhoy Blues has an incredible story behind its formation and quite frankly, it’s probably the main reason it's on the 1,001, list. Songhoy Blues is made up of a group of people from Timbuktu, Mali. They were forced out of their home during civil unrest, where the people in charge imposed Sharia Law. Under Sharia Law, music is banned. So these musicians moved to another part of Africa and formed Songhoy Blues. The name comes from the fact that three of the members of the band were part of the Songhoy people in Africa. Their style of music has been described as desert blues. I don’t know about all that, but Songhoy Blues are definitely a blues band. They were inspired by the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and John Lee Hooker, according to the band. You can hear it all in their songs. They sing in French and these guys can wail. Songhoy Blues doesn’t play the regular style of American blues we’re used to hearing, But you know it's in there. They’ve added more African rhythms to their songs, making yheir music something new altogether. Well, new to Americans, moat likely. I’d heard of the band before getting into the 1,001 challenge I’m doing here. I’m not sure if I ever listened to them, but I have heard Bombino, who became really popular around the same time as Songhoy Blues. Bombino and Songhoy Blues play a similar style of music. Also, there is some really cool psychedelic African blues from back in the 1970s that will blow your mind. So Songhoy Blues isn’t that new for African rock, but they really brought it to the world stage in 2015. Songhoy Blues is definitely worth checking out. They have a unique way of playing the blues. It’s fun to hear how Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles go into their ears and come out Songhoy Blues. I’m not sure if this album will be a part of my regular playlist, but I’ll definitely come back to it occasionally to kind of refire my synapses.

This was so cool. Something I never would have found if it wasn't for this project.

Wow, I really enjoyed this. This is what I like about this list, there is no way I would have ever heard these guys otherwise.

I enjoyed this. Fun and upbeat. The guitar work was very good. Malian blues.

An enjoyable album I probably never would have found if not for this.

So refreshing to my ears, like a new fruit I've never tasted, on a warm summer day.

Very good style of music, the guitars are amazing and it truly feels like something different and in the style of their country. I really liked it

i love music from mali... its just a fact about me

I'm old enough to remember when the promise of globalization was that we'd get more art like this - an omnivorous blend of African rhythms and harmonies with (African-)American blues guitar workouts, all conveying the pathos of four guys who just want the sharia cops to leave them the fuck alone so they can rock. The energy here is always palpable, even on the slower stuff - "Petit Metier" is quiet but always insistent. Alternate band name: The Actually Black Keys.

The fusion of African rhythm and vocals with upbeat, bluesy rock is a fantastic combination. As the Tuareg guitarist Bombino has demonstrated, the melodies and scales commonly found in African music translate very well to the electric guitar and more modern styles of playing.

die Art vo Musig gfallt mier sehr, aber glichzitig gits anderi Künstler:inne wos no chli besser mached

Really good. Can't understand the lyrics, but it sounds great regardless. Southern sounding guitar, twangy with an afro twist.

Very cool and different take on blues.

Groovy guitar blues and funk, really enjoyed

This one was a good listen. It is some serious blues riffing, but it is downplayed somewhat by the language barrier. I would like to have a translation of the lyrics. I will listen to this one again.

przesłuchać do konica rano

Fun stuff. Really grooving.

I liked this. Fun blues-rock with an unmistakable African spin. I'd listen again.

4+, immediately digestible, though still quite novel for me

4 out of 5. This is why I signed up for this service! So happy to listen to new music not from the USA. Great blues and head-bopping beats. The first two tracks are ending up on my Favorites List.

I really enjoyed this one.

Really enchanting

Bluesy rock with a Malian twist, makes a lovely combination It's nothing overcomplicated or massively groundbreaking, just a pleasant and catchy one

I wrote damn notes! And my damn notes are gone! It doesn't save! I need to like refresh the damn page or something. I enjoyed this album, I had more to say, it reminded me of the kind of world music my dad loves.