Reviews (page 6 of 12)
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.
I think it's the first album from Mali I've ever listened to (and it's the second African album from this list even if I'm nearing 500 albums in this challenge). It is very nice world music that I enjoyed listening to. The reason I started this challenge to get to know more genres and albums like this album and this was a good one to discover.
This was a fun listen! I couldn't understand any of the lyrics, but they were almost another instrument mixed into it all.
Very pleasantly surprised. This here the desert blues.
Hoi hoi, nog meer etnische muziek uit Mali. Maar ook dit vind ik best lollig en het heeft genoeg tempo en afwisseling. Prima plaat om een paar keer te luisteren en dan weer een heel ander genre op te zetten.
Leuk dat er af en toe uit een ander vaatje wordt getapt. We krijgen ineens een aantal keer muziek die de evenaar moest passeren om mij te bereiken. Eerlijk is eerlijk. De wereld stopt niet bij Engeland en Amerika. Maar...Ik moet wel echt even wennen aan die Afrikaanse trillende zang. Het is gelukkig niet zo doorgeslagen als wij wel eens uit de hier voorbijkomende auto's horen. Wie weet is dit een mooi opstapje naar muzikale verbreding, want uiteindelijk wen ik er toch wel aan. En als die brug is geslagen, kan ik de muziek best waarderen. Zelf opzetten is wel (nog) een brug te ver. Maar ik wijt dat maar aan de culturele afstand, dus wil dat niet in de sterren tot uiting brengen.
Waren we vorige week al in Mali, deze keer keren we terug. Dit keer zonder Ry Cooder. Het klinkt als een soort country en bluesy Manu Chao. Ze lopen lekker op de gitaar te pielen in ieder geval. Het is wel even wennen aan de manier van zingen, die we dus ook al terug hoorden bij die andere Toure. Alsof het niet past, maar dat is waarschijnlijk gewoon omdat we gewend zijn aan een of andere knauwerige Amerikaan. En als je er eenmaal een beetje aan went, dan klinkt het gewoon best wel lekker. Ik kan dit plaatje best nog een keer opzetten.
I dont speak the language but I wish I did. It was a bop, started off strong and ended peacefully. Weak 4 but it got there. Favorite song: Sekou Oumarou, Petit Metier really close 2nd.
Loved it…just wish I knew what they’re singing about
Really liked - chill vibe with some good rock sections.
How have I never heard of these guys before? This is fantastic.
Enjoyed this one from start to finish. On top of the music itself their formation and history is worth reading up on too.
Great album, real nice blend of afrobeat and rock
Great mix of sounds. It’s amazing how well the blues is played in their unique style. 4/5 Will listen again
It’s good but not my thing
So yeah, turns out I'm into desert blues. After some exposure to somewhat similar artists like Bombino or Ali Farka Touré and his son Vieux, how pleasant that this new group of Tourés has entered my life. The first song had much more verve than I expected, sounding more like rock than many world music artists I've been exposed to. This group's guitarist can sure play. While I can't understand the words they sing, they send a message through their playing. And the message is that these guys are badasses. Fantastic music, groovy and brimming with emotion.
its groovy and i was liking it a lot at the start but uh every song sounds identical i got kinda sick of it half way in so it went from an 8/10 to a low 7/10
This is exactly the kind of thing this project is for for me. I would never even have heard of this band let alone listened to the album if it wasn't for the project, and whilst it isn't the best I've listened to it was really enjoyable bluesy rock. A perfectly good way to pass 40 minutes, but maybe not one I'll rush back to.
Honestly es slapped scho sehr. Finds cool hemmer mal wieder es album ufere andere sprach wie englisch !
he s isch huere schö produziert und de erst song slappt schomol. anschinend het de damon albarn sini finger do im spiel. lol sie sind am paléo 2022 gsi ich hans eventuell gseh. irganda au sehr upbeat und huere geil. ich verstoh nüt aber vibe stimmt. al hassidi terei meega geile groove. nick easy, aber s verwäscht sich alles chli. wayei sehr en nice klangteppich. d songs hend irgendwie nie strophe und refrain oder so, s goht afoch wiiter. findi no cool. petit metier erste akustische. er singt mengmol französisch. aaaah und jetz band mit lisligem schlagzüg. ich ha gern lislige schlagzüg. irgendwie chuntmer de bekannt vor? ich glaub ich ha die echt gseh am paléo. mali irgendwie sad well sie sind in mali vertriebe worde vom norde.
GITARRE GAHT HAM das isch voll jonas musig hahahah UNRXPECTED HALFTIME al tchere bele insane rhythmus hanmer halt scho meh so albe erhofft anstatt 95 albe vo de gliche 3 us-amerikanische singer/songwriter (und allgemein weniger westkichi musig aber hey wa wosch mache) mega gueti summermusig grosse fan
Really enjoyed this album, i've always been a bit of a fan of desert blues. Listened while I was working so no obvious standouts, I had heard the 1st track before fo sho.
Stuff I would have never listened to otherwise, but is very interesting and good.
4 - I really enjoy desert blues
This is kinda fire. Wasn't expecting much based off the album cover, but this is the sort of thing I'm very happy to see on the list. Fave Tracks: Soubour, Al Hassidi Terei, Nick 4.6/5
This was a joyful breath of fresh air.
This was a fun listening experience!! Always a pleasure hearing music from around the world!
Kinda fun and upbeat. No clue at all what they're singing about but it is a mix of an Indian vibe with some rock flair to it. 4.5
The boys from Timbuktu can jam, bluesy but the upbeat songs feel like classics from the American blues era but with more exciting percussion and lyrics. Production was a good time and it shows.
One thing about me is I love protest music. I wish I could’ve taken the time really pause and listen but alas the day got away from me. I enjoyed having this on during the 2-4 pm slump
Beats be funkin!! Actually really enjoyed this, was not expecting to, front half of the album goes a bit harder than the second half though. Top songs: Soubour, Irganda, Al Hassidi Terri, Petit Metier
Another album that I didn’t understand a word of the lyrics, but this time I loved it!! Great vocals, fantastic beat and rhythm, joyful music. Just all around great songs.
Good energy
Pretty good, especially for me not knowing the language.
Moi bo disco, tiñame unha pinta horrible pois a música en idiomas que non entendo non me cunde pero foi unha grata sorpresa. Ta' chulo
Songhoy Blues is a band that was inspired by political and civil unrest in their native Mali. After getting noticed by French producer, the recorded a few songs, and were invited to perform in the U.K. While there, they recorded their first album, Music in Exile. Their music is a modern spin on traditional Mali music - a fast-paced, guitar-driven style of African folk music.
funky/psych/groovey rock beats, def. coming back for more
Surprisingly good
A breath of fresh air.
Favourite song - Al hassidi terei
So good! This album was so freshing, especially since it's not English or western. It's also different from other African musicians I've heard. It seemed like an African take on country.
Прикольно. Неожиданно получил удовольствие от прослушивания. Местами впечатление будто слушаешь африканских Tito & Tarantula.
You don’t have to know the language to enjoy the music. But I wish I did so I could have a greater appreciation of it.
super groovy and laid back. every song is good... and I'm obsessed with soubour. hidden gem fs 8/10
Pretty solid. I liked it. Considering the circumstances I think its pretty incredible they made it on this list. -8/10
The beginning of the first song reminded me of the Black Keys album. Overall pretty good, maybe would’ve enjoyed it if I spoke the language or looked up the lyrics. Liked the fast paced songs more. Was surprised to see a song with Iggy Pop on their 2017 album.
some of the words sounded kinda Indian to me, thought it was pretty good but can't see myself listening again 7/10
Pretty cool music. Very down to earth. I love their voices. Really moving story behind the album too. 8.5/10
7/10 - I liked the background quite a bit. Every song was enjoyable but nothing was crazy good.
Damn, this was really good. None of the songs were bad, and there were a few standouts that I really enjoyed. Obviously have never heard of these guys before this list, so I'm glad they made it 8/10
Only really listened to Songbour. Good music.
Nice beats!
Simple, inspired, and sumptuous. A lot of fun through its full runtime.
I just really dig African blues music - these grooves are getting me through night shift work. I need to check out the documentary about this group, "They Will Have to Kill Us First" - badass rebel music always wins.
Cool, mellifluous, love the way they use instruments
Quite a hidden gem this. Good production, good musicianship, I assume good lyrics (language barrier yknow), good vibes. Songhoy Blues, I wasn't familiar with your game.
Thank god that albums like this are also included. Really enjoyable chill listen, great to get to know music like this.
Bluesy rock, with cool African influences
Can't understand a thing they are saying, but it doesn't matter. This album slaps. Right from the get-go a grooving beat with running guitars overtop, had me dancing in my seat. I loved the crazy time signatures in "Al Hassidi Terei". 6/4 (or probably actually a 4/4 and a 2/4 repeated), and then into a 6/8. And then back again. Really cool. With all the layers of crazy polyrhythms across the different instruments, they sound like an African-blues version of Tool. Would be fun to play drums for this band.
Guitar in this one was great.
Really infectious rhythms and solid production.
It honestly surprised me just how good Music in Exile was. The songs were very catchy at the start before getting more somber towards the end and actually sounded really good. The vocals were handled rather well too even if i couldn't understand what they were saying (I don't speak the language spoken in these songs) Some of the songs did sound a little similar to each other but not enough to ruin the album. I didn't know what to expect, but it sure wasn't this. Best Song: Soubour Worst Song: Al Hassidi Terei
Not bad
Rough and tumble
Was unexpected really enjoyed this album
Awwwwwww yeahhhhhh. Like I wrote a few reviews ago, I have a soft spot for guitar centric albums that do interesting things with music from around the world. This is album is very much my jam. This album is interesting and doesn’t veer into bland background music in a coffee shop territory. If you like this album then I recommend you check out Ali Farka Touré.
Oh, nice. This wasn’t remotely on my radar, and I enjoyed it a lot. I couldn’t help compare it to Jorge Ben while listening. I loved the Jorge Ben, and this had a lot of the great things in it that I enjoyed about that. The instrumentation and the guitar tones were so sweet. This didn’t quite meet Jorge Ben standards for me, but I enjoyed it very much and it was nice that this project gave it to me, especially after the last week or so of things I’ve been listening to.
An excellent example of how music can transcend barriers like language by inflecting the feelings of its' performers. I wish there was more specific info on the band and the album specifically, but understand they are in a unique situation. The album showcases the yearning and resentment of the implementation of Sharia Law and being evicted from their homes, but still has a tinge of hope to it. 'Desert Blues' is a good way to frame it, and the music is unique but still familiar
Decent album regardless of where the band members would be from. Anyone that might appreciate blues, rock, etc. should appreciate a listen through.
Really surprising. These guys could be from tennessee
Svo gott, algjört feel good dæmi.
I don’t understand what it’s about but I like 👍 good energy, fun guitar
Really fun album, and not something I normally would have been exposed to. The music is energetic, and hard to place into a specific genre. Some fantastic guitar riffs here, which contrast and compliment really nicely with the background vocals throughout the songs.
1. 4.8 2. 4.3 3. 4 4. 4.2 5. 3.8 6. 3.6 7. 4.5 8. 3.9 9. 4.8 10. 4.8 11. 4.2 12. 4.4
Thoroughly enjoyed this album. The vocals reminded me of Ladysmith Black Mombasa and the music reminded me of Los Lonely Boys. Great album, even without understanding the lyrics.
Musically, reminds me quite a bit of Baaba Maal, in the way that it finds a chord progression and rarely breaks free from it. Love the heavier, bluesier tracks, but feel the album is a little front-loaded. Still, cool record. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Irganda", "Nick"
Quite like it. Bit exotic
Zou echt nooit op mijn pad zijn gekomen zonder deze site.
Really enjoyed this!
Amazing Album.
Blues is on point, language and cultural barrier are no issue
Really loved some of the songs. Album flow was not easy to do background work with. Maybe better cooking. long album-
Interesante escucha, muy groovy y divertide. No esperaba escuchar música maliense en mi vida, gracias albumsgenerator
El blues es divertido!
loved this
Glad I heard it. Interesting and different blend of African beats with electric guitars.
Really cool.
Listened Before? No Out of the gate, Soubour feels like a Dodge commercial, but then the vocals disintegrate that Made in America feel. Not my favorite genre of music, but they translate the sound extremely well and clearly have a talented guitarist and vocalist on hand. Takeaway from Irganda is the same as before; they have a really solid guitarist and they give him a lot of space to explore. Fun little stomp of a song. Some interesting syncopation on Al Hassidi Terei. Tonally this reminds me of some of the work from the Japanese band toe (side note, I recommend everyone check out their album "For Long Tomorrow"). I find it interesting that within the mix the instruments generally feel pretty tight, but the vocals are recorded "loose" to give an almost live, group performance feel. Sekou Oumarou is an immediate standout. Understated with some call and response vocals. Creates a very moody tone that is ripe for exploitation. My focus really dropped off as I started to work, but I definitely enjoyed this album 100x more than I expected from the first minute. This album is at once familiar and fresh, in that the band taps effectively into a familiar blues rock sound while imbuing it with unique cultural elements throughout. Not only are the vocals (obviously) in the native language, the mixing puts them into an interestingly live/group oriented focus that brings the whole thing very close to the ground. In addition, there is specific emphasis on call and response and syncopated percussion that makes for an interesting listen. I regained focus for the closer Mali, which is a really tender and pretty acoustic jam. Also, whoever the guitarist is here deserves more credit; this dude jams. Strong 4 / 5 for me. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists: - Irganda (Sunny-vibes) - Sekou Oumarou (Driving) - Mali (Sunny-vibes)
The first half of that album was awesome with the unexpected blues aspects. The guitar work was pretty remarkable. There was a moment there towards the end where I thought I was listening to Khrungbin which was great. Felt like it turned more worldy music towards the end which was an ok way of finishing out the album, but the beginning half was what really did it for me in this album.
This is some really good stuff. I have absolutely no clue what they're saying in any of the songs but the guitar work is incredible. Not sure how much I'll come back to listen to this, but I've been on a renaissance to find "Khruangbinny" bands and this scratches a similar kinda itch.
Different but really good. Didn’t understand a word of it, but really liked it
Good album. I never heard this band, album, or any other Mali music before, and its pretty good. This is a more worthy addition to this list than yet another brit-pop forgettable album, thats for sure. This is the kind of thing that I am here for. 4/5
Love the instrumentals and call and response vocals. A bit repetitive and I wish I knew what the lyrics meant but overall a powerful album made as a work of rebellion and a call for freedom against an oppressive government. +1 star for Songhoy Blues bravery.
Really interesting sound, enjoyed it a good bit. Lyrics not in English so can’t say but instruments were great and their voices sounded good
what the fuck was that?
The music was dynamic and engaging. I understood about three words. I will definitely check out more of their stuff. This is a 3.5, but because they are from Timbuktu (a place I thought was imaginary as a child) they get the extra half.
This was enjoyable. Certainly can't claim to have ever consciously listened to blues from Mali before, so a great addition to the list. I was impressed by the simple yet adept playing and compositions — of course I have no idea what they were singing about, but in the best blues tradition, some of it came through anyway. I'd have posted a 3.5 if that were an option, and am on the fence as to whether to bump up or down, but for the sheer sake of the experience, and considering I could imagine spinning this at different times — while I work, as background music at a mellow get-together — I see that and raise it .5.
Well this is just delightful! It can be hard to make blues exciting again, but taking it back to Africa seems to be just the secret recipe for something incredible.
Yeah, nothing too flashy, but just good Blues. The story behind it is maybe more interesting than the album.
Awesome to hear music inspired by a real life battle for freedom and justice
fun
Great sound! Wish I understood the lyrics.
Tosi hienoa kitaratyöskentelyä. Afrikkalaista rautalanka rokkia. Tulee kanssa tosi vahvoja indie-rock viboja. Hieno ja mielenkiintoinen sekoitus.
Soubour - 9/10 Irganda - 8.5/10 Al Hassidi Terei- 8.5/10 Sekou Oumarou - 7.5/10 Nick - 8/10 Al Tchere Bele - 8/10 Wayei - 7.5/10 Petit Metier - 8.5/10 Jolie - 8.5/10 Desert Melodie - 8/10 Mali - 8/10 TOTAL - 92/110
I wanted to love this but it came up a bit short. Still very good.
Didn't understand a word, but nice voices and great music.
8/10. Really cool, I want to listen to this again.
Pretty decent, if a little slow. 7/10
right in my zone
this album was awesome. naturally i'd never heard of the band or had a clue what they were saying in the lyrics, but this is part of why i love 1001 albums. very cool to see a newer band from africa playing blues rock that is clearly crafted with deep meaning and emotion behind it. favorites: soubour, al hassidi terei, sekou oumarou
I didn't know this band and I really liked it. It's good to know music from other regions. I also recommend listening to reggae bands from Argentina.
Good stuff, I didn't understand a word but the music was very good.
Funky as
Eu nunca ia encontrar esse grupo sozinha e tô muito feliz pelo álbum ter sido gerado pq na primeira música eu já sabia que ia curtir demais!! Nunca me viu como alguém que ouve muito blues mas gostei DEMAIS mesmo assim! Sem contar que a história da banda é bem legal. Fave: Irganda
Pretty cool, and the backstory of this album makes it even cooler.
A breath of fresh air in this list! Really liked this music, the story behind the album is crazy.
A really enjoyable album that is totally out of my usual 'field of view'. An upbeat, bouyant bluesy-indy-progressive album that embraces beautiful guitar melodies from the African diaspora that I have always loved so much. there's a lot in this album and it is a re-listener for sure. I can't imagine any other album in this 1001 list sounding like this so it gains an extra star for its outstanding uniqeuness in a densely packed, western-pop milieu.
This is some fine African blues music. I can't really say too much to the genre other than it sounded exactly like I wanted it to sound. Not sure that is good or bad but you can't really say anything bad about the quality of these songs.
Didn't know what was being said, sounded good though, 4/5
I like this. Lots of driving energy throughout. Some of the guitars in this are greeeeat, both bass and jangly lead guitar. I obviously have no idea what they're singing about, but they clearly have some serious lived experience to draw upon. I'm sure it's quite profound. The more 'world' sounding tracks I didn't enjoy as much.
Awesome fusion of modern Westen rock with the local sound
Songhoy Blues is described by Wikipedia as a “desert blues band from Timbuktu, Mali”. I figured this would be interesting, and I was right.not just interesting, but really good. This is, naturally, not in English, so I don’t know if the lyrics are good or bad. But I REALLY like the music. The closest I can come in mood/tone is Charlie Parr’s Stumpjumper, but that’s just a general similarity. An easy 4, maybe higher if I get more familiar with it. 4/5
Jams.
I enjoyed it, it was an upbeat and soothing style. Though I didn't understand the words I liked the tune of each song.
Modern and sharp, this album isn't playing around, and it starts from the very top; strong bass lines, rhythmic guitar and poignant solos take the blues to the next level; reminds me of the spirit of The Holding Company, only with African sensibilities (maybe a touch of jazz a la Art Blakey). African music can be deeply and effortlessly innovative, and I don't know if another word would more clearly capture the soul of this record; mixing rock, blues, country-western, spirituals, and their own West African sound (forgive me for being overly broad with 'West African') together into some profoundly moving, smooth, refreshing yet nostalgic, and surprisingly poppy. A surprising feature of the album is Damon Albarn's backing vocals. What starts more traditional, in a rock and blues space, becomes more experimental as the album progresses, with funkier rhythms and percussion. Deeper still, the record becomes unapologetically Mali, and speaks to the homeland Songhoy Blues was forced to leave due to escalating violence. I really enjoy their use of repetition, chanting, and call and response to build something complex and sonically layered; this is serous dance music; the atmosphere is of emotional momentum and a great, sad journey towards the unknown- the album isn't sad, necessarily, but their is a deep understanding of sadness, love, celebration, and freedom emanating from the record, and connecting the group to the great blues artists of the US, like B.B. King, Albert King, or Muddy Waters (which makes sense, considering the impact the transatlantic slave trade had on West Africa and the US). Solidly groovy, fundamentally rocking, and makes me want to dance. Ultimately, the album is expansive and cuts to the quick of so much of the human condition- that we are more similar than we are different. Standouts: Soubour, Irganda, Al Hassidi Terei, Wayei, Petit Metier, Desert Melodie, Mali.
Really enjoyed this. New to me. Added it to my album library.
Really great stuff with a style that is similar to a lot of bands from the sahara. Looking into their history at the time of recording this gives more context to enjoy the album despite not having a clue what the lyrics mean
I didn’t understand any of the lyrics but I was moving my head all the time.
Lively and solid throughout. But unlike some albums from Saharan Africa, the songs have variety and flow. This was a great discovery
I never would have listened to this on my own, but I really enjoyed it - exactly what I started doing this for.
Wow this was really good. Love the unfamiliar time signatures. Some of it I can hear some pieces of traditional blues.. chicken or egg? I added it to my library.
i love this stuff but it does get a little monotonous in heavy doses
That was good fun! I enjoyed that. Lively and vibrant.
Greatafeican heat
Guitar-driven African earworms.
reminds me of the black keys, really dig this
BLUES! LET'S GOOOOOOOOO
Total jam that makes me want to explore more desert blues. No real standouts but I did listen while dog walking and it was a total jam. Will have to come back to this one!
Very good musically and right up my alley. Still sometimes iffy on music in another language. But this was great background music for driving around doing errands today.
Great album. Really enjoyed this one. Modern rock with a African influence. Really interesting listen. Track 2 Irganda is one of the highlights, but the album is really consistent. 4/5
Found this really enjoyable. Loved the desert swing style of rock and the band is clearly both passionate about their beliefs and also passionate about laying down some bitchin riffs. 4/5
These bois just wanted to make blues music but the institutions in power wouldn’t let them. I’m happy they found a way.
Yeah, good Blues! Starting in the middle of album is Mix Blues/African Musica, which I liked .
A very pleasant surprise. Says on the tin: blues music but with energy and rhythm. Suggesting a brevity and joy of life despite the upheavals and uprooting the band had to endure. Would like to see them live.
Admittedly Malian blues funk isn’t usually high on my list of dog walk listening material, but good work lads
Nothing crazy songwriting wise, but definitely a fun listen with some good tunes
Groovy
Liked it but at 3 hours was a bit longer than I could listen to
So… usually with a record that isn’t in English I comment on how hard it is to rank. This one is different. Working on the assumption that the lyrics are acceptable, this is a great record. The fact that it wasn’t a sound I am used made it all the better.
Never heard it before, blues from africa. But it's goooood!
Really nice, especially for something so obscure out of Mali and for being somewhat modern. It's quite the task to be a worthwhile listen since I have found much of the stuff from the 2010s+ to not be very good, especially from abroad. 7/10.
Interesting. This will be one of those rare instances where I make the time for a second listen right away. I like it. Unusual mix of sounds, tempos, singing. My reaction reminds me a little of when I first heard "Buena Vista Social Club" so high praise, I guess.
Mwah! Ökenrock 😎😎 Inte vad jag trodde med tanke på namnet och så. Tinariwen, Tamikrest liknande. Gymma gitarrer, feta rytmer, kul sång. Känns fan som ett soundtrack som spelas när man vandrar genom öknen. Hade man rate:at mer specifikt hade detta lätt kunnat hamna en bit över 4. Favoriter kanske: Irganda, Soubour, Al Tchere Bele
This album really is so good and funky. Not at all what you'd expect going in. Favorite track: Soubour
The language barrier forces a bit of research into this band's significance. American listeners en masse do not really take a look at why a band may exist, or what the bands draw their inspirations. More significant, is that Songhoy Blues still manage to keep the blues a bit bright despite the fact their story's backdrop is the risk of religious/ethnic cleansing in their home country of Mali. Let's talk about the music, the beats have that "African" tempo, some of the singing styles have that tribal chant feel with the repetition one would expect from a cultural event. What is incredible is that Songhoy Blues capture these styles, and wrap it all up in the blues. Truly, a remarkable production bridging their culture to match the sound palate of the West and raising further awareness of some of the political/religious conflicts, an example of where music's power is being used for good.
The first half of this album goes hard. It slaps. The second half fell off a bit, but was still pretty enjoyable.
Never listened to desert blues before, but hearing this album and reading about there story about brining back music to northern Mali is inspiring.
Even without the insane story that comes with this album, this is still a very fun and chilled-out collection of desert blues tracks Also love the Clash and Zeppelin covers on the deluxe Favourite tracks: Soubour, Al Hassidi Terei, Jolie, Desert Melodie
Like the attempt and approach. Lovely guitar playing with rough and ragid backing. Not something I will return to too often but something I enjoyed.
Super groovy album. Would never have heard of it without this list!
Really good, surprised ne
Interesting music.
Another solid album. I enjoyed this album.
Hall Of Fame Shrooms Album.
I wasn't expecting to like this since "world music" is rarely my thing. This however was quite a pleasant surprise. I don't know if it will be something I revisit often but I certainly might.
When the first track got going, a big smile came across my face because I knew I was going to like it. I listened to this album twice, and I really like the first two tracks. This is the type of thing I love about this list. I never would have found this otherwise.
I liked this sound and even though I couldn't understand it I was definitely vibing.
Cool, if a bit repetitive
Surprisingly good album - didn't understand a word of it
I had no idea what they were saying, but I dig this.
Very nice!
Awesome rhythm and feel. Perhaps not the most technically amazing, but it's got such charisma and even some decent stank at times.
I’m into this
Good fun blues from Bamako. While generally the genre is not my favourite, it sounds fresh enough to my ears for me to want it in my rotation, and besides it’s a well balanced, just the right length record.
I’ve found African music often hits hard but wears thin. This album was a solid exemption with enough stylistic variation and emotion to more than offset that I can’t understand the words.
Loved it, makes me wanna get up my chair and move. Already a blues fan so it was very easy to get into this.
Heard about these guys - and the desert blues genre - for the first time a few years ago. Love the style. Love their sound. This is a great debut album.
Vraiment aimé ça. Le son blues/garage/desert rock est vraiment bien exécuté et les compositions sont originales. La production est super bonne. C'est rafraîchissant d'entendre quelque chose de ce genre, ça sonne familier et nouveau à al fois dû aux influences du pays. Quelques pièces m'ont laissé un peu plus sur ma faim mais globalement un très bon album. 8/10
Malian blues, electric style. Excellent.
Lot of weight here, music in the effort of preserving culture while in flight from religious and political upheaval. A lot of pathos in the vocals despite the language barrier.
I really enjoyed this. Never heard it or them before. I listened while I was running and it was great tempo and vibe. I'm sure if I understood the language I'd have a deeper appreciation.
Crazy cool sounds from Mali. Love the rhythms and the guitar work.
This hits from the opening riff. It is not what you are likely to expect from the album cover. It is blues based rock music from dudes from Mali. It has a really funky beat. It is good. It is fun. And, these guys play...
Mdou Moctar adjacent. Love this style of desert blues
Очень красивая музыка!
I really liked it. Classical blues instrumental but with a Mali twist in the vocals.