Music in Exile

Modern West African blues rock — I like it a lot.

Really enjoyed! A bit repetitive towards the end..

I enjoyed this, made me feel good and for that it gets a 4

Very delightful album and I always am happy to find these surprises 😃

Never heard of this band, will definitely be listening to more!

Overall solid. Started off with a couple really good songs and then sort of lost steam in the back half of the album, but still solid

I thought it was good. Very chill. Feels like traditional African sounds with jazz in a very honest and proper way.

Miellyttävän rento levy, ja kiva kuulla taas afrikastakin jotain uutta! 4/5

Cool desert blues, similar to Tinariwen, cool story. Will be adding this to rotation. 4 - will definitely listen again

This is why I love music so much

Very nice

8/10.

This is the kind of album I really appreciate from this. Very unique and something that I probably would have never picked up otherwise. Their story is fascinating and heartbreaking. Some of the songs do seem to be a bit repetitive but I really enjoyed the bluesy instrumentation.

Cool album. Way cooler backstory. Can you imagine your entire country turning into the town from Footloose? I would love to see biopic about an American or English musician struggling with their manager, fame, or drugs and then we slowly pan over to these guys being like "What are they complaining about?".

Giddy-up, this is the sort of thing I hoped to find on this list. I probably never would have heard about Songhoy Blues otherwise. Great sound, great story. Yeah, this goes on some playlists.

This album rules hard, love it. This is why I signed up for this, because I would have never listened otherwise

Legit Malian blues, rich, earthy and driving. The combo of high-energy, bluesy yet danceable cuts, with tender acoustic yearnings add to the richness. Opening and closing cuts are best. Kudos to the producer for keeping the touch super light and not fixing what isn't broken. The editors do the band and their readers a solid in helping to make this just a a bit better known, but not sure why this was exed. One digs thoroughly, recognizing that one will never be an expert and anything more than the most casual sort of connoisseur.

Went in with zero knowledge or expectation and was sort of blown away. The music and musicianship is great and the vocals were almost instrumental since I wasn't able to understand the lyrics. Such an interesting story behind the music and I am glad that they are able to make it and put it out for people to hear. I really like it.

Dope

By itself it seems just ok, but the story behind the band makes it so much more meaningful.

Never would have listened to or heard of this one without the website. This one was honestly a joy. Relatively contemporary guitar focused rock/blues with catchy beats and good vocals. Their 2017 album Resistance also SLAPS!

Blew me away. Did not know what I was in for and was more than pleasantly surprised. Downloaded the album.

Energetic afro blues, thought this one slapped

Desert blues from Timbuktu. Excellent modern blues. African rhythms and instruments. A fantastic surprise.

Really good! Lots of variety from track to track, and no duds. To be honest, I liked this more than most American blues albums on the list. 4.5

I went into this blind, and man, I am so glad I did. I really enjoyed it, it was a very pleasant surprise. My biggest nitpick is that a lot of the songs did not have a bridge, they just seemed very much A-A-A-A until it faded out. Not really a rock song structure there. But aside from that, I liked the singing (even though I did not know what he was singing about), and the instrumentation was very blues-y. Definitely something I will come back to. Top tracks: "Soubour," "Irgandi," "Mali"

Whoa, I was not expecting those bluesy, southern-sounding guitar licks to kick off the album on Soubour. What an awesome song. Apparently these guys are desert rock. Never heard of the genre before but I am a fan now. This album is a great mix of classic African beats/styling and southern rock (think Skynyrd) guitar plucking and playing. It's like they took Ali Farka Toure and his classic African guitar sounds (almost Spanish styling) and modernized it. I had to stop everything I was doing just to listen to track after track. Irganda, Al Hassidi Terei, Sekou Oumarou, and Nick - also awesome. The second half of the album dipped a little, like they took their foot off the gas, or the wah pedal. It isn't abrupt, as Ai Tchere Bele and Wayei still have good bits of that unique blues sound, but it fades away and gets replaced with a more traditional sound, like Toure's. It's still deft and all (listen to Mali) just not as unique. Easy four stars; thought long and hard about five.

The was a gem I'd never heard before. I love all the different influences and rhythms. I knew nothing of music from Mali before this, and I'm excited to hear more, and especially to hear more from this group.

Wonderful take on the Blues, mixed with literal music escapism. While the hardships they faced must have been unimaginably terrifying, I'm glad they were able to find a community to introduce them to a wider audience!

Wiki: Band member Garba Toure states,"We grew up listening to old music by the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and John Lee Hooker.'' Blijft altijd wonderlijk hoe een fundamenteel figuur in de Amerikaanse rockgeschiedenis vooral op waarde geschat lijkt te worden in West Afrika. Daar wordt hij echt op het zelfde niveau geschaald als namen als The Beatles en Jimi. Maar voor we het weer gaan hebben over die wonderlijke wisselwerking tussen de Delta Blues en West Afrikaanse Blues, wat we al hebben gedaan bij andere platen uit deze regio, moet vooral uitgelicht worden hoe bekwaam deze muzikanten zijn. Ik heb toch wel weer genoten van de bluesy grooves en de elektrische vibe. En voor een album waarbij je het gehele plot wel een beetje mist vanwege de taalbarrière bleef het toch interessant. Vaak merk ik dat ik er snel inkom bij dergelijke albums, maar dat de magie daarna vrij snel wegebt omdat het mijn aandacht niet weet vast te houden. Deze blijft eigenlijk van start tot eind wel boeiend, met een paar memorabele hoogtepunten. Opnieuw een prettige kennismaking met Afro-rock! 8/10 Highlights: Soubour Sekou Oumarou Petit Metier

This is amazing "desert blues" from Mali. I just love the sound. Yes it's blues but goes beyond the usual 12-bar scheme I'm a bit tired of. And it has this African warmth from the voices and typical guitar playing.

Wtf? Nooit gedacht dat Songhoy Blues hierin ging staan. Zalig! Ik kende enkel Worry (wat trouwens een geniaal nummer is). Maar dit is ook echt goed! Top!! 4.2

Wow this was a surprisingly good album. I wasn't expecting such a rock oriented sound that has a tough bluesy song. The guitars are tough an uncompromising and the rhythms are as you'd expect from a west African group. Their story is one of defiance and perseverance and their sound is pure delta blues with a nice rhythmic drive that makes for a beautiful marriage. I enjoyed this a lot and will put it in rotation. 4 stars

I have no idea what they were saying on Music in Exile—but honestly, who cares when the music slaps this hard? The grooves are tight, the rhythm section is on point, and every track pulls you in whether you understand the lyrics or not. It’s one of those albums that proves you don’t need to speak the language to feel the vibe. Great energy, great musicianship, and a sound that sticks with you. Favorite song: Soubour

Magical African blues. Love it.

This was a great listen. Loved their take on blues and other folk music.

A lot of things I like in here! Bluesy country instrumentation, good vocals, cohesive sound

Surprisingly great, exactly the kind of thing I wanted to find from this journey.

Very enjoyable, ridiculously fun guitar :) It was different, and a nice listen. :) I'm teetering on 4 and 5 stars, I'll go 4, but this is really good music and a 5 for someone else I bet :)

Well this was a toe tapper all the way through wow! I guess I love African rock ! Standouts: Soubour Sekou Oumarou Nick Wayei Desert melody

Songhoy Blues - Music in Exile Album Review Music in Exile is a high-energy mix of desert blues and rock, full of driving rhythms, hypnotic guitar work, and pure passion. The band blends traditional Malian melodies with modern rock influences, creating a sound that feels both fresh and deeply rooted in history. Nick and Al Hassidi Terei are standout tracks, bursting with groove and infectious energy, while Desert Melodie is a real highlight—beautifully hypnotic and rich with emotion. The guitar work is sharp and rhythmic, pushing each song forward with an unstoppable momentum that makes you want to move. Despite being inspired by difficult times, the album feels uplifting and full of life. The mix of intricate melodies and pulsing rhythms makes for an engaging listen, and even though some songs feel a little similar, the sheer energy and spirit of the music keep it exciting. Music in Exile proves that desert blues is as powerful as ever, with Songhoy Blues bringing a fresh, modern twist to the genre.

I’m a fan of AfroPsyche. This is pretty cohesive. Enjoyable

Great North African album

I didn't understand a word, but the beats were fire.

Pretty nice album, a little bit blues-y at times, very enjoyable as a background listen, maybe a bit too repetitive if it's your main listen. Enjoyed listening to the album, it was nice.

The music and backstory are equally interesting. 4/5

First time listen - really enjoyed it

Don't know what they are saying but still solid album.

Interesting music. Obviously didn’t understand the lyrics but you could hear the passion

You know, I feel bad that I’ve somewhat come to dread the World category. I tried not to let the language barrier affect the experience, but most of the time I never really get into the album. This might have to be the first one where I didn’t have that problem. The fusion of blues rock with some traditional African influence makes for an album that is accessible and engaging. Who cares if I don’t understand what they are saying (though considering this band’s origins as being literal exiles, I think it would have be nice). There are some moments where the lyrics feels a little repetitive, which is usually a problem on the world albums. But outside of that, I really enjoyed this one. Favorite track: Soubour Other hits: Irganda, Al Hassidi Terei, Wayei, Petit Metier, Nick, Ai Tchere Bele

This is why I signed up to this. To find cool stuff like this.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ — 3[.8] of 5 stars I really like the sound of this album. It hints at older blues and rock music, while also sounding completely different from anything else I've really ever listened to. For me, it was a really interesting listen, that kind of captivated me throughout its runtime (even though i couldnt understand the lyrics lol.) The guitars and instruments sound really fresh and vibrant to me, I don't really know how to explain it, but they're like right there, and the drums and percussion throughout this album is incredible. Loved the energy and guitar work of the opener "Soubour," the nice acoustic closer, "Mali" ends it quite well, and the guitars on "Al Hassidi Terei" and "Ai Tchere Bele" almost reminded me of some math rock or midwest emo tracks; really interesting stuff happening there. The rest of the album kinda melded together quite a bit (probably in part to me not knowing the language lol), but it definitely made for a very unique experience, a very vibe-y experience at that. Favourites: Soubour, Mali, Al Hassidi Terei⭐, Nick.

A lot of potential and I'm glad, given the band's origins, to find out they're still going, although this very much has a first album feel

Super solid desert blues that I was unfmailair with. I dig bands like Tinariwen and Mdou Moctar, so found this a lot of fun

HUh! I finally a Name/Face of this group! I've enjoy their groove for some time now. -I should run their lyrics thru a translator.. -Does that PBS Milk Street food show use their music? -listened thru YouTube w/ a shitty commercial between each song. Really bummed the groove.

What a pleasant surprise! This is the type of thing I was hoping this exercise would point me to. Really liked this record and will check out more of their material!

The first half was definitely better but overall a good album! Sekou Oumarou was my fav

This album is a real jam, 4/5

Jamming. Fun listen. Glad to have discovered it here.

Great beats and rhythms! Wish I knew what they were saying.

really nice and chill, is NOT good for working out though

Ik kan het niet uitleggen maar dit is echt nogal goed

Very cool warm vibes

This kinda rips. Talented dudes.

I thought this was really good!

Ahhh, une tite bouffée d'air frais qui fait plaisir

I actually loved this album, it was such good fun!

This was fantastic. The most surprising albums for me are always non-English music. Just a great album!

Whoa, so good! I was dancing around in my kitchen to this one. Wonderful to hear such good music emerge from such a terrible situation. Renews my faith in humanity.

I would like this a lot if it was in English.

Absolutely what I needed this morning. Brings some sunshine to a grey day!

Enjoyed it - I like the energy and fun. World music delivers something different and its a bit nostalgic for me too which is good.

Why was that unreal

So far outside of my comfort zone but I really had a good time with this while I was shoveling snow. Favorites: soubour, irganda, jolie

A Malian desert blues band? This shit is HOT. Their story is incredible as well. They blend electric blues guitar with traditional rhythms from Mali and it works really well. I’m a big fan of this and I absolutely love discovering new bands and artists just like these guys.

I like the mix of rock and traditional sounds. There is something infectious and joyful about this. What a nice discovery

These are the kinds of albums that make me most excited to get through this project. I know there is so much music out there I've never heard, and wouldn't know where to look. The language barrier isn't an issue for me, as I can barely understand or retain the lyrics for most English songs. I go off melodies, vibes...it's a feeling. Solid groovy, funky, rock. The vibes here are strong, and I respect the hell out of artists who make music out of protest and defiance. These songs needed to be made, and I'm glad they did, despite the laws they were fleeing.

Rock and blues influence is awesome, this is a fun one

Awww yeah I like this. Never heard of Songhoy Blues, but this album’s a jam.

These guys were absolutely ripping, enjoyed this so much more than expected.

I didn't know what to expect going in to this album. Who would have thought that African beats and blues rock would mix so well together though? Certainly not me. I was so surprised to like this at all, let alone as much as I did. The guitar work on this album is an absolute treat. It's nothing mind blowing but it's solid throughout. So many cool little licks and riffs. The opener 'Soubour' has one of the best. 'Irganda' is a little more upbeat and sounds almost like an African disco track. 'Al Tchere Bele' has a bouncy beat that makes you want to tap your foot. The quality does dip ever so slightly in the middle but overall this was a delight to listen to. It's not probably something I'd ever seek out to listen to ever again, but who knows. Maybe one day I'll be in the mood for it. Whether I listen again or not, I can't deny how much I enjoyed it so it's getting four stars.

"Soubour" is an INSANELY CATCHY opener that almost single-handedly justifies buying this debut album. And if the rest never reaches those heights, this marriage between Malian music and American-inspired blues-rock still often feels like a match made in heaven. A lot of guitar riffs *rip* on the livelier cuts, and the more introspective tracks on side two ("traditional"-sounding "Wayei", the gorgeous acoustic guitar-driven "Petit Métier" and "Mali", or the pretty and yet also hypnotic "Jolie") are heartfelt gems with endearing vocal hooks. Listening to those voices as they sing about life in Mali while reading about the band members escaping from war and fanaticism in the north of their country is surely edifying or moving. And speaking of voices, the production values serves those background vocals just as they should be served, in equal footing with the effective work on the instrumentation. *Music In Exile* thus feels like an interesting and accessible entry point into the music of a whole continent -- one I still don't know very much about today, very sadly. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3.5) Number of albums left to review: around thirty or twenty, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book. Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 461 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 275 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 334

Never heard of them, but they are great.

I'm really in no position to judge how this ranks for this kind of music since I don't really listen to this style very often. I enjoyed it a lot though, and the recommendations after listening to it were amazing too.

Really interesting album, not like something I have heard before. Have added it to my liked songs and will give it another listen through.

In some parts of the world, you can get killed for singing the blues. Some great licks here.

May I interest you in some good music?

I thought the guitar work was good throughout, covering multiple genres.

Enjoyable! 3.5*, rounding up.

Soubour is a great opening song to a well-written Malian blues album in its own language. Very refreshing blues-take under a Malian fusion. Ahead of the curve. 6.8/10.

Enchanting. Great playing and textures. Would have loved the record to be longer

Didn't know what to expect with this album, but was more than pleasantly surprised. African vibes with solid electric guitar playing (Hendrix Style). Definitely would put on again for some good vibes.

Cool! Easy beats to listen to. I enjoyed it.

Don't know the lyrics, obviously. But interesting take on the blues really slaps. Enjoyed it!

nice voices

Det är något med world blues asså

Decent blues album.

fantastic album. haven't listened to this in ages.

I listened to the first few minutes of this earlier. Wow! Just wow. Of course I couldn't understand the lyrics but everything came together in such a way that I felt instantly compelled. In some cases (forgive me!) I will hear a piece of a musical work and have the urge to skip around, to get a general idea of how I feel, but I'm excited to listen to this in full. 45 minutes... it's incredible how long we toil at art only to have such a small piece of work. I found myself moved by a lot of the compositions and would like to learn more about the lyrical content.

Awesome

Super fun album, amazing to have something so outside of what I would usually listen to. Thoroughly enjoyed this Language barrier isn’t really a problem outside of a couple of tracks like Petit Metier that feel more emotional than others and it would be nice to understand the language, but I can’t knock the album because I don’t speak the language. Can’t wait to come back to this again and write out a longer track by track. 4/5

I enjoyed this. Not quite enough to give it a 5, but it was very good.

so incredible so smooth so varied

Well, this was a surprise! I definitely judged the album by the cover and it wasn’t what I thought it was gonna be. Really enjoyed it.

An album I'd never very have discovered without this project, and one I enjoyed

I went into this not knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. I didn't understand the lyrics, but was impressed by the instrumentals and vocals.

While it’s not necessarily my type of music, this is still good for what it is, and it’s way different from most other stuff on the list.

Loved it but got repetitive

3.5 Happy to see a non-English album on here. Really enjoyed the music, love some African guitar. Rounding up because I like the variety.

This album is a vibe.

3.7, great texture

liked songs: Soubour, Al Hassidi Terei, Nick I got a lot of King Gizzard vibes from this album. It's a really solid blues record, fun guitar riffs, catchy melodies. There's so much good music out there that isn't in English, but it can be hard to discover when you don't know what to look for. I'll probably be giving the other Songhoy Blues albums a listen. 3.75

75/100. A very chill and easy listen. This album features a consistently high-quality sound across all the tracks, each of which is enjoyable. I hadn’t heard of this group before, but I’ll definitely be checking out their other projects.

Afro Blues Rock having a steady rythm with drums, guitar and Melodic singing.

I've never heard of them, I'm not sure what this is and I can't understand a word of it. But good grief, these funky Malians can rock. It's all the best kind of funky blues-rock and I could listen to this over and over again. I actually did, for the past week, to be fair.

We're jammin'

Really enjoyed this. Not at all what I was expecting.

Quite enjoyable.

Blues done in an African language? That will never work. It bloody does though. It's really good. I just wish I knew what he was singing about. Don't worry about that little matter, it's a really good album.

Really good Blues. Hard to judge lyrics when I can’t understand the language.

Really like this!

This was awesome. Discovered a whole new genre + the back story made it even cooler

Love the guitar work.

Decent sounding African blues

Best one yet Liked that it was international, the story, familiar musical elements but also different

I feel like a lot of the songs would feel appropriate in a movie soundtrack. Their story is fascinating and it is really cool that this album exists. The guitar tones remind me sometimes of Khruangbin which I would also describe as desert blues. Props to these fellas.

This is the Wayei A rich bluesy folk album. It gives off a feeling that these are elevated versions of their native songs. Some of the riffs give of a bit of Home Depot energy, at least on first listen, but at no point did this feel like a chore to get through. It ramps up and dips down comfortably throughout. And when it ramps up, it sends it, and when it dips down, it’s very reserved and lets the feelings through. While I may need to pick a worst, none of them felt particularly worse than any other Best - Nick Worst - Wayei

Great, not listened before, liked it very much.

albums like this are why i use this website. a great find.

I really liked this—blues with an African inflection especially in the vocals. The second track has a bit of a Stairway to Heaven thing going.

Finally a new country! Really funky blues rock. I love music in other languages too. I like the different tempos a lot. Highlights: Soubour Al Hassidi Terei Al Tchere Bele Desert Melodie

I LOVE this. Definitely makes me think of drives to the desert. There's complexity and diversity in instruments and sounds but still cohesive throughout the album. Beautiful vocals and deserty, vibey guitar.

What a great album that I’ll promptly forget and never listen to again

Understanding of words - 0%, enjoyment - 100%

I've never really heard anything like this, so I thought it was really cool!

This album just sounds alive. It’s joyous and expressive in a way that it is somehow unique to African music. At times this recalls earlier west African artists like Ali Farka Toure or Fela Kuli and at times recalls the blues rock of Cream and John Lee Hooker or even modern bands like The Black Keys. Great sounding record, everything is clear and well balanced and the playing is on point. Big fan, 4/5.

Pleasant surprise

This was pretty and I enjoyed it, and I love getting album like this one. I never would have heard of this band or experienced their music and protest over being exiled from their country. I couldn't understand it but I didn't have to, to feel the passion and emotions in their voices. There was a good mix of traditional African sounds, with modern Blues. Mali brought a tear to my eye thinking of the sadness and love they have for their homeland.

Vanhaa kunnon rockia (no siis 2000-lukua MUTTA ei tätä kauheaa 2020-lukua!!), hyvät kitarat, hyvä laulu, hyvä rytmi. Toimii kokonaisuutenakin, vaikka rytmi pysyy kyllä halki levyn aika samana.

This was really good! I especially liked "Irganda", "Al hassidi terei" and "Nick". I will definitely listen to this in the future. Cool to discover music that I would have never found without this site!

What a great album!

Enjoyed this a lot, very fun!

Good blues vibes ! Blues is coming back to his ancestors ! This album definitely deserves to be here ! I really enjoyed

Never would have listened to this if not for this list, and glad I did. Such a unique album.

This 2016 album may be the newest album in the rotation, but holy shit, this album rocks in the most Mali way. The Desert Blues is a new genre for me, and I'm pleased. Favorite Song: "Al Hassidi Terei".

sick. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)

I wish I could be as cool as a Malian guitarist.

Ik had nog nooit van ze gehoord maar ik kende elk nummer. Leuk om het nu helemaal te horen. Sahara funk!

let's hear it for non english songs

Cooler Sound und fand ich bislang das bessere der beiden "afrikanischen" Alben

Freu mich immer World Music aus anderen Ländern zu bekommen. Hat mir besser gefallen als z.B: Africá Brasil. Wollte erst 3 Sterne geben, aber ich glaub 4 ist machbar. Würds mir aber nicht nochmal anhören. Songs der Playlist hinzugefügt: Keine

This was an interesting album. fun mix of blues, funk, and desert guitar sounds. I'd never heard of this band or album, but it was a fun listen.

Day303 - i really liked the ali farka touré album and this one is almost as good. petit metier was my favorite

I typically don't care for the foreign language albums but the music here was amazing.

I really dug the bluesy instrumentals but the vocals would’ve been bad even if I spoke the language.

Surprisingly very good album - big props

Completely unknown to me but surprisingly interresting and enjoyable.

The great thing about this project is discovering music that I would never have the opportunity to listen to otherwise. Great album

This was really nice!

Some great saharan blues! Guitar riffs are strong and representative of the traditional style from Mali and the region.

Songhoy blues are a perfect example of the power of music. Against the backdrop of fundamentalist prohibition of music in Mali, the band offers a thrilling a testimony of joyful rebellion. “Music in exile” is filled with hypnotic fast-paced bluesy riffs and occasional abrupt changes of time signatures that make the album energetic, and soulful. If you love bands like Tinariwen, the desert blues or Afro blues subgenres, you’ll love this. The production is at times imperfect, some songs excessively repetitive, but the overall output is both satisfying and impressive. Their musical bravado is infectious and it’s indisputable their key role in making alternative Afro rock mainstream and worldwide relevant. I’m looking forward to listening to their upcoming album “Heritage”. My favorite track was “Al hassidi terei”.

Very Black Keys to start - I like Sebour with its clear Damon Albarn influence. Less produced as it goes on - fun to hear the group at their original. Would like to see the documentary about them!

Very urgent, even without full appreciation of the crisis they were singing about.

Haven't met a desert blues album I didn't like. I'm surprised I haven't heard this. Honestly, as good as this is, I'm shocked that Tinariwen isn't on this list. They basically invented desert blues. Check out the album "Aman Iman" by them. Also great: Nomad - Bombino Ilana - Mdou Moctar Music from Saharan Cell Phones - V/A

The kind of album where I wish I spoke the language (or could track down translations!) to enjoy these songs even more.

Many good vibes. Even if I don't understand the lyrics, some songs feel like they reach me anyway. Especially liked Petit Metier. Didn't expect to want to relisten at first, but I should remember this one when I need to feel something.

Really cool desert blues. I knew the first song from a while back but not the whole album so was nice to listen to this! Nice groove, slightly same-y towards the end but would defo listen again

Bewitching rhythms, entrancing melodic loops, feverish vocals.

I understand the cultural and social significance of the band. That said, it was okay. It's hard to listen to music when the lyrics are in another language. Great beat and amazing guitar work.

Insane. Blues with Malian Rhythms. Wild Bro.

Absolutely awesome music. What a find in this list!

Bängäs, hyvää pilvenpolttomusaa. Luize sano et tää oli sille aivan täydellinen nappi, aikoo mennä seuraavalle keikalle. ”If songhoy Blues has 1 fan its me. If songhoy Blues has no fans consider me dead”

This album is why you sign up for a process like this. 4*

Fun!

I enjoyed this one - I think having it in a different language added to my enjoyment and I could just enjoy the vibes of the music - I can only imagine the lyrics are pretty sad/angry about needing to flee their country where music was banned due to extremists. The melding of music from different cultures is so interesting to me - this feels a bit hypnotic in places, I like the repeating elements and the power of the grouped voices.

It takes elements from classic blues and rock and roll from the 60's, the first or second song in the album reminds me a bit of Talking Heads, with a guitar riff and looping background vocals. The rest of the album is closer to chuck berry overall, though not very similar because of the emphasis on vocals and percussion. Overall, i like it, its a sweet take on classic rock and roll and blues with elements to bring it to modern times with commentary on the mali life.

I really liked this album a lot. Songhoy Blues' sound is quite unique to me. The songs were some nice blues rock. This was the first time I've ever heard Malian music and I'm glad I did. How this album came to be is an interesting read itself. 4 stars for "Music in Exile".

Foreign language blues Familiar rhythms and feels album to groove to

so good

Thought this was a very good album with some interesting history to it as well.

The music was fun and definitely something I wouldnt have listened to without this experience.

A great take on rock/blues with an African ancestral sound

hell yea

This feels weighty. I love the sound and how tight it is but without being able to understand the words I'm forced to sit back some. Reading the history of this band was interesting. I'll relisten to this for sure. Great blues work.

I enjoyed this. Solid musicianship, nice vibe. Interesting use of the Blues. Felt a little repetitive at times not knowing the language, but toe tapping none the less. Would probably try and check out again.

Similar to the other Mali blues I’ve heard, I like it while listening but it doesn’t usually stick with me. On second listen I was pulled in more, even went and listened to some of their other stuff. Good record, would probably lean 3.5, but will go 4

African rock is good

This album was briefly in the book, but it has been removed in the latest editions. 3.5/5

Good mixing of genres here. Surprisingly enjoyable album.

Þetta er geggjað

It's not the same sound as American Blues, but it is fundamentally related, for instance, the songs are very rhythmic. Many of the tracks are quite catchy, if I could speak the language, I bet it would be fun to sing along. The instrumentation can seem quite simple because the listener's attention is concentrated on the fancy guitar playing, but the stuff going on in the background is what makes the overall sound so deep and polished.

Super catchy. Not a blues guy, but this slaps.

🎧Excellent African rock/desert blues, really enjoyed this. Favorite tracks: Al Hassidi Terei, Petit Metier

Loved the mix of rock with native African melodies in top. I can really get into this. (8.0)★★★★

I really enjoy desert blues and this is no exception, although I think I prefer other artists like Tinariwen and Mdou Moctar

This might be the perfect treadmill album. No clue what the songs are about but the rhythms are fantastic.

Really interesting album with an interesting history behind it. 4/5 because I enjoyed the exposure to blues in Timbuktu.

low key this was fire, it was a bit too long so i’d give it a light 4 but this was actually kind of a banger

I loved the sound

This was fun!

Je ne comprends pas les paroles, la musique est souvent douce et enjouée, mais il y a dans la voix une certaine résignation. Très beau

Decent! This is why I love this list, I would never have heard this without it.

REALLY liked this album. No idea what the lyrics were, of course, but the music was intoxicating!

This was really fun. Much better than I expected. Just an incredible mix of jazz, rock n roll, and blues with a strong desert vibe. Loved it

Første lyt var kæmpe godt. Det svinger virkelig godt. Andet lyt nød jeg lige så meget især sangen Irganda er fed. 3 og 4 lyt var det delux udgaven som fik et lyt. Det var for meget. Der er dog basis for en sjov cover quiz med numre som man kender, men i helt ny fortolkning. Alt i alt er det en ren 4er, som man bliver nærmest begynder at headbange til! (Sidelæns bange.)

Jeg aner ikke hvad de synger. Men det betyder ikke noget. Det her album bliver jeg glad af. Foden vipper og hovedet bopper. Det vil være en perfekt booking til en solbeskinnet tidlig eftermiddag på en festival.

Blues würde ich das ja nicht nennen, man kann es sich aber durchaus anhören!

Great, creative instrumentals. Petit Metier was my favorite.

Every once in a while you get a gem that you’d never have heard of if it weren’t for this book.

this is like…very good 3.5/5

non so se mi verra' voglia di risentirlo pero' e' davvero carino, andato via senza annoiare.

en stark fyra. riktigt svängigt och gött sound.

Great vibe. Haven’t really appreciated blues this much before

Once “Soubour” started a turned up the volume. Very Cool stuff.

OK, but this kind of slays. No expectations going in, and absolutely chuffed.

Even without understanding the language, the music itself was very enjoyable

This is a fantastic entry for this type of list.

Enjoyed this!

Born out of pain yet songs of joy and presents the most tasteful vibrant north African blues rock with some impressive instrumental swirls and licks.

Thoroughly great, I enjoyed every song a lot, the only thing really missing for me is more variation in the production of the songs, and a couple of the solos are a bit too much, but I'm hard to please in that realm anyway.

Amazing guitar rhythms. Interesting blend of African melodies mix with the Blues. First listen. Not bad.

This one got me moving. I always find it fascinating how when I hear African rhythms and guitars, it becomes so clear how much of our American music of so many different genres owes allegiance.

Fedt og dejlig med noget anderledes

Unique mix but very enjoyable. First African rock/blues I've come across and it worked very well, impressed

One word: Goddamn.

Unexpectedly, we both really liked this. There’s a range of styles, all interesting.

Solid interesting album, good stuff.

love the rhythms, I want to move

Ótimo álbum, não conhecia os artistas. A pegada de blues combinada com a história deles é simplesmente incrível. Tem uma super pegada "Cowboy Bebop".

When I saw the cover, my heart dropped because I thought it was going to be yet another hip hop or (c)rap album, however this is a lovely light and tuneful production worthy of another listen.

Lot of fun. The African music almost always hits. I love Casablancas so was even more exciting reading that Cult Records helped release this. It didn’t disappoint even though my expectations were a bit higher than they should’ve been. Such a fun fusion and such an amazing story of how such awful circumstances drove this band together. Rating: 4.2

What a lovely album. Wouldn't say it's Blues, but who cares. Both the bass and acoustic (and brief electric) guitar performances are fantastic, and the vocals slide in with complementary ease. Some of the cleanest mastering I've ever heard *chef's kiss*. Listened to: at home. Favorite tracks: Soubour, Irganda

Was happy to be introduced to this style.

Jazzy rock!

I liked it!

This is different. I was surprised.

A cool spin on the blues and an important context behind the creation of this album. We really enjoyed this.

Didn't understand the words but it was a vibe

On continue de creuser le sillon de ce foutu projet "1001 Albums" et, de temps en temps, on tombe sur une pépite qui nous ferait presque oublier la corvée. Cette semaine, le hasard (ou l'algorithme, ce grand manitou moderne) a placé sur ma platine un disque sorti en 2015, une année où, franchement, je commençais déjà à trouver que tout sonnait un peu pareil. Le genre de lassitude de vieux con, vous voyez ? Et pourtant, "Music in Exile" du groupe malien Songhoy Blues a été une claque. Pas le genre de baffe qui vous sonne, non, plutôt la bourrade amicale qui vous sort de votre torpeur et vous rappelle pourquoi vous aimez la musique. Pour planter le décor, Songhoy Blues n'est pas un groupe sorti d'un chapeau. C'est l'histoire de mecs – Aliou Touré, Garba Touré et Oumar Touré (aucun lien de parenté, calmez-vous, c'est le "Martin" du Mali) – qui ont dû fuir leur bled près de Tombouctou. Pourquoi ? Parce qu'en 2012, des barbus intégristes ont décidé que la musique était l'oeuvre du diable. Interdiction de jouer, de chanter, de taper sur un bidon. La tristesse absolue. Ces types-là, au lieu de se morfondre, ont trouvé refuge à Bamako, la capitale, et ont monté un groupe. Leur nom est un manifeste : le peuple Songhaï et le Blues. La musique comme acte de résistance. "Music in Exile". Le titre dit tout. C'est lourd de sens, et pourtant, à l'écoute, c'est tout sauf plombant. J'avoue, quand j'ai lu "blues malien", je m'attendais à une énième resucée d'Ali Farka Touré, le parrain incontesté du genre. Respect éternel, bien sûr, mais à 55 balais, on a envie de surprises. Et la surprise, elle est de taille. Oubliez le blues poisseux et humide du Mississippi. Ici, on est dans un blues du désert, un truc aride, tendu, où chaque note semble arrachée au sable et au soleil. Ce qui frappe d'emblée, c'est cette énergie brute, presque punk dans l'intention. Ça sent l'urgence, la nécessité vitale de jouer. Le disque a été produit en partie par Nick Zinner, le guitariste des Yeah Yeah Yeahs, et on sent sa patte. Le son est clair, tranchant, sans fioritures inutiles. Il a su capter l'électricité du groupe sans la dénaturer. C'est là que réside le tour de force de cet album : ce n'est pas un disque de "world music" pour bobos en mal d'exotisme. C'est un putain de disque de rock. Les guitares sont en avant, nerveuses, elles crachent des riffs qui sentent autant le sable chaud que le garage crasseux de Detroit. On pense à John Lee Hooker, on pense au Gun Club, on pense à tous ces groupes qui ont compris que le blues n'était pas une pièce de musée mais une matière vivante, inflammable. Une très bonne et agréable surprise, et pour un type comme moi qui a passé des années à vendre des disques, à voir passer toutes les modes, de la cold wave au grunge, tomber sur un album comme ça, c'est un bol d'air frais. Ça vous réconcilie avec le présent. On se dit que tout n'est pas mort, qu'il y a encore des mecs qui ont des choses à dire et qui le font avec leurs tripes. La découverte du groupe par l'équipe d'Africa Express de Damon Albarn n'est pas anodine. Ce projet a toujours eu le chic pour dénicher des talents bruts, des musiciens qui ne trichent pas. Songhoy Blues, c'est exactement ça. L'album est un mélange détonnant. Les chants en songhaï, évidemment, ancrent la musique dans son terroir. On ne comprend rien aux paroles, et alors ? La musique est un langage universel, et l'émotion passe sans avoir besoin de sous-titres. Les rythmes sont complexes, tribaux, mais ils ne tombent jamais dans le cliché folklorique. La batterie de Nathanaël Dembélé (remplacé depuis) est d'une efficacité redoutable, elle pousse les morceaux, leur donne une dynamique implacable. Et puis, il y a ces guitares. Mon Dieu, ces guitares... Elles serpentent, elles mordent, elles pleurent. Elles sont le coeur battant de l'album. On évite ici le détail de chaque morceau, comme convenu, mais il faut quand même citer des tueries comme "Soubour", avec son riff hypnotique, ou "Irganda" et son groove irrésistible. Chaque titre est une variation sur le même thème – l'exil, la résistance, l'espoir – mais le groupe a l'intelligence de ne jamais se répéter. On passe d'un blues-rock fiévreux à des ballades plus apaisées, mais toujours avec cette tension sous-jacente qui fait la force du disque. Alors, au final, que retenir de "Music in Exile" ? C'est un album né de la douleur, mais qui transpire la vie. C'est la preuve que la musique peut être une arme, un cri, une célébration. C'est un pont magnifique entre l'Afrique et l'Occident, entre la tradition et la modernité. Ça ne réinvente peut-être pas la roue, mais ça la fait tourner à une vitesse folle, sur une route caillouteuse et poussiéreuse, et le voyage est sacrément excitant. Un solide 4/5, donc. Parce que ce n'est peut-être pas l'album le plus révolutionnaire de l'histoire, mais c'est un disque nécessaire, sincère et foutrement bien foutu. Un disque qui a une âme, et en 2015, croyez-moi, ça ne courait pas les rues. À écouter, et plus si affinités, comme dirait l'autre. Une très belle surprise, en effet.

Love it!

Great discovery, like finding these kind of gems in this list!

Engaging rhythms

Totally something new and unheard of for me. Not at all what I expected! African blues - wtf! First song is great!!! Really feels like the classic afro rock from the early 70's, but with a bluesyier sound. The guitar playing is amazing - very dexterious and interesting. Seriously good album!!! Amazing work.

This was surprisingly kind of fire 🔥

I was really stoked for this, after listening to a Toure album a few months back on this list. Malian blues was such a surprising and exciting genre, I was blown away. This one wasn't quite at that level. I'm not sure if it's just that the novelty wasn't there, or what but it was almost disappointing. I do think it's objectively good, though, and if I hadn't been comparing it to that last album I might have loved it.

Liked this tbf, decent vibes

first listen african rhythms are my favorite

Cool album, one I would have never listened to or heard of without this website. The language barrier at first was off-putting for me, but the music itself is universal. The melodies, chords, arrangements, instrumentation and musicianship can be appreciated by anyone who speaks any language. Lots of songs here that are in uncommon time (Lots of 6/4 or 6/8, whatever you wanna call it). Its refreshing to hear that from a western perspective. The drums and percussion shine the brightest in this album. Refreshing album to hear on this list. FAVORITE SONGS: - Soubour - Sekou Oumarou - Nick - Mali 4/5

Reminds me a lot of Mdou Moctar - love the Saharan blend of blues rock

RIPS.

This rules. African blues with a hypnotic edge. Reminds me a lot of hill country Mississippi style blues.

Passionate African rock with electric guitar. I’ll need to take a deeper dive.

Wel lekkere nummers, maar ook niet baanbrekend. Heel solide

pretty cool. 3.5/5

Music in Exile I don’t know much African music outside the big names Like Ali Farka Toure and Fela Kuti, but the bits of African guitar music I hear I always like, and this is no exception. From what I read it sounds like Ali Farka Toure was a big influence, which I can hear, and would make sense as they are both Malian. I had this on repeat all morning and I really enjoyed it. There’s no doubt there is a similarity across all the songs, but I find the combination of African guitar grooves with western blues/rock touches most pleasurable to my ears. I liked all of it but there were a few standouts: Soubour, a great bluesy opener, I loved the guitars working with each other and I always love some handclaps. Irganda, the Nile Rodgers/funk/angular rhythm guitars sound great. Seiko Oumarou, taking things down a notch, love the repeating guitar figure and the little runs here and there. Al Tchere Bele, I love the more polyrhythmic feel and some more funk style guitar Petit Metier, the acoustic guitars are a nice point of difference on this one. Desert Melodie, great mood and atmosphere on this one Mali, a lovely, slightly haunting melody and a nicely subdued end to the album. I enjoyed it so much I think I ended up listening to it about 5 times. I also tried their next album Résistance, which also sounded great on first listen and might be better than this. I suppose it’s easy to fall into a slightly patronising trap with African music, a kind of ‘they’re a happy people’ type stereotype, but even though I don’t understand the lyrics there is definitely a sense of fun and excitement to it, especially when you read about the background of them leaving their hometown to escape civil conflict. Along with Jorge Ben this has been the best of the non Western, non English language albums we’ve had, and I definitely enjoyed as a break from some of the rock/metal albums we’ve had recently, so an easy 4 for me, I will definitely put it on rotation and am looking forward to listening to Résistance more and trying Optimisme. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mitt nye favoritt desert blues-band fra Mali

Sharia law couldn’t keep these sick blues licks down!

We like political blues

4/5

Really amazing story behind this and amazing sound. Really into this and will be listening again, and watching that documentary. Believe that!

First time hearing these guys and I loved it.

Something about Mali Music that really soothes me. The combo of the voices and unique instrumentation is was does it.

Vette combinatie, +1 ster voor het verhaal

Banger.

Tres bon

Wow! Didn't expect this sound at all. Very Rock-Bluesy. Apple Music categorizes their music as "Worldwide" but I feel like it's too broad.

I know "Smokey" is a cliche word to describe blues rock, but god is this album smokey and super cool. At the same time, its accessibility is undeniable - sounding similar to many Western contemporary mainstream blues-rock bands (Like 'The Black Keys' come to mind, minus all the tacky genre fusions later-ish in their career) when looking at how immediate all these songs are. The fusions with West African music styles are there, especially on the percussion and vocals, but Western blues music is still very much dominant I found. I love Malian singer Kaira Arby's contributions to the psychedelic 'Wayei', which may be my favorite track here and the one with the most overt African musical influence. A majority of these songs have these snappy grooves that are insanely tight, unabashedly repetitive, and soothing while still leaving room for subtle build-ups like on the layered 'Sekou Oumarou'. All the playing is great here and the instruments pop. This entire album is classy, vintage, and impossibly sharp. There's something so immediate about all the songs here. It also captures a very uniquely endearing mixture of genres, one that I'm certainly eager to dive more into in the future.

Despite not understanding shit, I can say that african rock is fire. Stand-out: Ai Tchere Bele, Petit Metier

The opening song was rockin', reminded me of the Mississippi Allstars, half a world away. The rest of the album is very good and musically interesting. This band is a new discovery for me.

I very much enjoyed the overall vibe, guitar work, and melodies on this album! Even if I didn't understand the language, it was an enjoyable listen, and it was a very pleasant surprise to hear Nick Zinner and Damon Albarn show up!

This was so much fun to listen to, something I probably never would’ve found without this list.

I’ve never heard of this band or album before, but this album was an unexpected treat. Right from the start, I was hooked by the guitar playing on this album. I loved the bluesy sound that this album had, but I really liked that the tempo was much faster than the traditional American blues. This is easily one of the most unique albums that I’ve ever listened to, and probably one of my favorite world music albums that I’ve gotten to review. I enjoyed learning about Songhoy Blues’s story; their background is sad, but the band’s resilience is incredible. I don’t know much about Mali, but I do hate religious zealots who run governments, so I can relate to the band in that way. In addition to the guitar playing, the percussive elements on this album were really good too, and they really helped add some depth to this unique sound. Even though I didn’t understand a word of the lyrics, there was so much emotion in the vocals that it didn’t matter too much. The vocal parts where multiple people were singing really created a shared sense of longing and collective pain. I didn’t have time to look up the lyrics today, but that’s definitely something I want to do in the future. This is an album I’d be keen to revisit, and I hope I can find a physical copy to keep around the house.

It took me a bit to start appreciating the African lyrics/vocals partnered with the blues instrumentals but once I started coming around to it, I dug it. Listened to the album twice and liked it more the second time. There's something powerful about this genre. Reminds me of Fantastic Negrito.

Different

Fun world music

African Black Keys at the start but generic world music by the end. I REALLY enjoyed the beginning, though I had no clue what they were saying.

Had never heard. Was quite lovely.

Good energy

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

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

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

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

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

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

Favorite Tracks: Soubour Irganda Mali

Sure, why not.

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

did not understand a single word but still very enjoyable

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

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

very easy listening i liked it

would hear again

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

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

Reminds me of Ali Farka Toure

An enjoyable album

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

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

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

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