Reviews (page 8 of 13)
Amazing!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ — 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.
***An ok album
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.
This is a jam. There's points where I wanna say this sounds like disco or Talking Heads and realize, oh yeah, other way around.
Absolutely love this, and had never heard it before — though I am familiar with MDou Moctar, whose style is similar. They call it desert blues, and I definitely hear the influence of Delta blues in their guitar stylings. Hell of a backstory, too. Really happy to discover this.
I'm not an expert in desert blues by any stretch, but the few albums I've heard of it so far have all sounded good, and this one's no exception.
Perfectly listenable album; I like it better than a lot of the stuff on the list but I suspect that it was included more because of the documentary about the musicians than this being among the most un-missable albums from 2015.
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!
Desert blues! My favorite "new" genre I've discovered this past decade. I'm a big fan of Bombino, Mdou Moctar, and Tinariwen. I somehow never sat down and listened to these guys, though. It's good. And a touching story regarding their formation as, well, exiles. I would't say this is my favorite desert blues album by any stretch, but it's a solid album.
Music's great but exiles suck.
not my style
A truly incredible album. This is the first album in a while that I’ve listened to front to back multiple times. Setting the tone right out of the gate with Soubour and just continuing with great songs that all have their own depth and uniqueness to keep the entire album a must listen. From bluesy songs like Sekou oumarou and Nick (shoutout for that one) to songs like Wayei and Jolie that have more of an indie/surfer rock guitar sound to the acoustic Petit Metier this album has a little bit of everything. And even though I don’t know what they’re saying, the vocals and harmonies sound fantastic. Shout out to Alex for giving me the heads up to listen to this one. 5/5 for sure
The first half was definitely better but overall a good album! Sekou Oumarou was my fav
This album is a real jam, 4/5
These guys are from Mali, and I appreciate the opportunity to hear some music from Africa. Unfortunately I don’t understand the language; perhaps it would be more enjoyable if I did. The music was good, but not memorable.
As a linguist, I like this a lot, because - quote from the band - "We always try to sing in as many languages as possible. The languages we speak every day are Songhoy, Bambara, French, and English." How many Songhoy language albums are on this list? I bet not a lot! (Although maybe I'm wrong, since I never would have predicted this one, either.) As a non-linguistic listening experience, it's chill & pleasant, but nothing that'll stick with me (even though the band's story is obviously compelling). A 3 with a side of respect. Highlights: 'Irganda', "Petit Metier' , 'Desert Melodie'
Didn’t care. *listened on 2025-03-18*
Jamming. Fun listen. Glad to have discovered it here.
Good musicians with an interesting style.
Great beats and rhythms! Wish I knew what they were saying.
Interesting beat
really nice and chill, is NOT good for working out though
Nice sounds. Great tunes. 5/5
Loved it
Ik kan het niet uitleggen maar dit is echt nogal goed
🥰!
Really impressed! Timbuktu Punk rocks! Also, why so few non english albums wth
Very cool warm vibes
Was okay, interesting beats. Overall pretty chill.
Neat
This kinda rips. Talented dudes.
I thought this was really good!
This was interesting. Pretty decent tunes.
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!
It's alright energetic rock. I appreciate the story behind the album, but sonically it got pretty same-y and not all that interesting.
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.
A fine album. Despite not understanding the lyrics (obviously) it was a good background.
puntos extras por ser otro idioma que no sea inglés
Why was that unreal
Great. Favorite tracks: - Petit Metier - Mali
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.
some good songs, but wouldn't listen to it again
I like the mix of rock and traditional sounds. There is something infectious and joyful about this. What a nice discovery
на любителя, мне не оч зашло. местами напомнило кинг гизард
Honestly this was fantastic. Incredible vocals
Didn't care
Just flat out excellent blues rock that transcends cultural barriers.
Mais um breve contato com o desert blues. Sempre interessante como esses artistas mesclam elementos já estabelecidos da música ocidental com melodias, escalas e padrões rítmicos distintos, trazendo um ar de novidade. Acho que não é o melhor disco que já ouvi dessa glr, mas foi sem dúvidas um baita disco.
This is a cracking good album by a band forced from Timbuktu to Bamako and later to achieve global popularity. They kickstarted the Desert Blues as a genre
There are some vibes on here, Petit Metier was a standout for me. Cool story behind the group.
Better than I expected, some decent tunes on this. A bit front loaded though.
No
Probably one of the Most unknown Albums on the List. While it wasnt my Cup of tea, I really liked some of the Instrumentals. The vocals Not so much. Nevertheless this album showed me the many was this project will Broaden my Musical horizon
Quite good
My second African-language album on this list. I'm glad that there's diversity on the list, but like Lam Toro by Baaba Maal, it's hard to connect with the songs. The music itself is fantastic - I love the guitar riffs and musicianship but I wouldn't reach for this again.
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
Surprising. Won't listen to again any time soon, but stoked these Mali boys escaped the Mali civil war and wrote a blues/rock album.
Awww yeah I like this. Never heard of Songhoy Blues, but this album’s a jam.
Unique blues sound, well executed.
Not bad but I'm a language I don't know.
A bit of a random choice, but a welcome inclusion to add bit more variety to the musical genres presented in this list. It is a nice little record, although I'm sure there must be some better representatives of this kind of music out there. I don't think this is Tishoumaren like other people are saying, because if it was, why not choose Tinariwen instead, arguably the most famous artist of the genre. This is probably some other kind of african music.
I liked the music, even if the words meant nothing to me.
I enjoyed the first few songs quite a lot! IMO it trailed out a little towards the end, but still an enjoyable listen
Apart from my wanting a Nandos I got nothing more from this album
These guys were absolutely ripping, enjoyed this so much more than expected.
Pretty good as background music.
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.
Wish I liked this more. I didn’t hate it. But after 3 tracks I was mostly bored. The craft is good, but it’s just not my thing. 2.5/5
Derretir
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.
No idea what they’re saying, but loved the vibe and energy
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?
Only thing more impressive than this music is the band’s backstory!
A blending of western and African; good background music, but nothing I would seek out.
I thought the guitar work was good throughout, covering multiple genres.
Enjoyable! 3.5*, rounding up.
I have never met an African album I didn't like, and this is no exception. Fantastic guitar work and mesmerizing layers of rhythm. I'll definitely listen to this again. I just wish I had a translation. Sad to hear about the suffering in Mali, but this is a good way to educate a privileged westerner like me. I hope they have a lot more success.
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
Cool sound and good vibe. I love knowing that music from this part of the world is the origin point of the blues and then is mixed back into it
Wasn't bad.
I really don’t understand all the comparisons to Ali Farka, just because they share his last name. Songhoy Blues is a lot more western sounding, taking more inspiration from 50’s rock n’ roll than blues. And it’s not half bad. Mostly western rn’r with that cool call/response vocals that seem to be à western african thing (I don’t have enough knowledge to state it confidently). Don’t think I’ll ever listen to the album again, but I didn’t hate it. I even liked Petit Métier quite a bit
African blues rock, kind of cool and kind of repetitive.
Þetta er hress Mali-blús og gæti togast í fjarka ef ég hlusta meira, en eftir tvær hlustanir er þetta rock solid 3,3.
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.
Awesome tunes
It’s clearly a foreign language, yet I can totally picture my dad’s generation humming along. Transcending genres, music is truly universal.
Prima muziek, maar niet heel bijzonder. **
For not knowing really anything they are singing about SB really has some good stuff here. Probably my favorite intl record so far on this project.
• 2/5 • Love the guitar work, but not the vocals • the tracks largely sound alike
Don't know the lyrics, obviously. But interesting take on the blues really slaps. Enjoyed it!
Solid. Really enjoyable vibe. Nothing super new about this other than that there is a nice Mali feel to an old genre. 3/5, would bop again.
nice voices
Gud vocals, the band has a touching story too, just not the kinda music I will listen to
Desert Blues, what a thing! Very interesting if a bit repetitive. Lovely voices/harmony and great guitar work. Sounds almost Indian. North Mali specific. Imagine the banning of music. Religion is such nonsense. 3/5
2 stars 😴😴
Instrumentally very good and an interesting mix of western and African.
like the sound, no idea what they’re saying but very groovy
I've never once listened to "Desert Blues" or timbuktu punk as it was originally described, but i'm a fan. You experience the emotional sorrow of the blues while still maintaining the distinct sound that put them on the map. I'm a fan.
Weltmusik. Warum nicht? Handgemacht. Sauber produziert.
This isn't my thing at all but it's good, and v fun
Det är något med world blues asså
Decent blues album.
Bit different. Nice to hear something not from America or the UK.
1. zoubour - 1.5 2. irganda - 1 3. terei - 1.5 4. zekou - 1.5 5. nick - 1.5 6. bele - 1.5 7. uuayei - 1.5 8. petit - 1.5 9. jolie - 1.5 10. melodie - 1.5 11. mali - 1.5
The Songhoy Blues band formed in Timbuktu in 2012 after being forced to leave their homes in the north of Mali due to political and religious turmoil. The music they make is full of joy as well longing for the lives they left behind. The highlight is probably the final track Mali that needs no translation to break your heart. This is Afro Beat with a rock edge and an unexpected gem on this list.
Finally some non-Western music! A really interesting afrobeat album, with good guitar parts, pretty upbeat, well written. More of this, please!
Mali! Love it and gotta give lots of love to my African brethren
from the onset. NOT what i was expecting at all. rock/blues with some beautiful blues guitar riffs and with african influence beats...but... Started off brilliantly and then kind of withered and got a bit monotonous
fantastic album. haven't listened to this in ages.
Cool International blues sound. Don't think it reinvented the wheel or anything but a fun album
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
I tried. The circular nature of the rhythm, which seems to me to return too spastically in incomplete cycles, made this more than difficult to listen to.
Not my cup of tea
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.
Soubour // Al Tchere Bele // Petit Metier //
Fav: Al Hassidi Terei Least Fav: Wayei
I love me some tuareg blues, this was close enough that I recognize the connect. I like it a bit more rough with buzzing guitars if possible, but I did thoroughly enjoy this listen. Can't promise to return to Songhoy Blues's music, but I know I'll continue to spin Tinariwen and Mdou Moctar.
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.
Like it. One of the suggested that actually paid off as in being good and well done.
Songhoy Blues have a pretty interesting story that's well-encapsulated by the title of their debut album, Music in Exile. members of this band were artistic refugees, pushed out of the north of Mali by the armed conflict that began there in 2012. a jihadist group had taken over much of the region and banned music, resulting in scores of musicians fleeing to cities in the south of the country to continue practicing their craft. one such musician was Garba Touré, who took a bus down to Bamako with his guitar, forming Songhoy Blues with other northern refugee musicians in an effort to invoke the musical spirit of northern Mali, and lift the spirits of other northerners in their predicament. adding to the "exile" component, this album was recorded in London as a result of the band's interactions with artists in the Anglosphere such as Damon Albarn (who landed them a placement on an Africa Express compilation), Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (the album's producer) and Julian Casablancas (whose label partnered with Atlantic to release this album in North America). the band's hypnotic blend of American and British blues and psych rock with traditional West African music is highly evocative of the desert landscapes its members originate from. it bears something of a resemblance to África Brasil, which was Jorge Ben's attempt at a similar fusion of styles, although his take is, of course, much more on the Afro-Brazilian side of things. plus, Songhoy Blues have a much longer history of rock music to draw from than Ben did! there's a lot of really intricate riffing across all these tracks, and plenty of deep pocket and exciting rhythms that you just don't hear that much in "Western" rock music. this is music which, even if I don't understand the words being said, I can still feel a lot of vitality in. it was created out of the circumstances of an ongoing crisis in Mali, one of the main aims of which seems to be to erase the freedom of artists to properly express themselves. talk about using music as a means of creating opportunities to feel empathy! light 8/10.
Loved it but got repetitive
How is this on the list? It is okay, not great by any means. Kinda good I guess. It seems so random and recent to be worthy of the “essential” list
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.
Oh hell yeah. That's the stuff.
This was as good or better than any of the world style records on this list
- Having run away from their hometown, Songhoy Blues created an album reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles - They obviously have faced adversity, and the music they created is still music, and they have some banging beats - No, it's not the first time I've listened to this, and yes, it still resonates with me.
3.7, great texture
Not really my thing but sounded ok.
This was a good album. The melodies were a lot of fun. Probably not an album or band I come back to very often, but a pretty enjoyable blues album. I always forget about how much I like the blues until I listen to it again. Liked Songs: "Soubour" , "Irganda" , "Nick" , "Wayei"
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.
Lyder godt! Jeg kan godt lide sådan noget her. Kunne godt have sneget sig op på 4 hvis den var kommet når det var varmt udenfor
Ret fint, de er dygtige og sådan, men det varierede også meget hvor engageret jeg var. Håber ikke det her er bogens valg af plade til at repræsentere songhoy, så måtte de meget gerne have smidt en egentlig Ali Farka Touré plade på i stedet
The genre was nice. I got a bit fatigued towards the end - It lost some pacing and it became less interesting to hear.
Worthy successors of Ali Farka Toure's legacy building the link between West Africa and the US Songhoy Blues blend blues rythyms with more sophisticated Malian techniques on Music in Exile. Soubour combines Malian lead with blues rhythm sections. Al Hassidi Terei goes one step further by incorporating time signature changes and polymeters(?). Sekou Oumarou finds the synthesis with a stripped back 2/4 call and response. Nick sounds like something straight out of the Chess back catalogue with a strong electric 12-bar blues. Al Tchere Bele takes us furthest away from the blues paradigm featuring complex rythyms and anxious guitar melodies and vocals. Kaira Arby provides beautiful backing vocals to Wayei, another track closer to Malian traditional music. Petit Metier starts with a familiar yet distinctive vocal intro before introducing almost gospel choir call and response. Jolie begins with a syncopated ballad before slowly building up to something reminiscent of Rokia Kone's Bamanan (2022). Desert Melodies and Mali round out the album with simple traditional sounding techniques on guitar and vocal. While many of the tracks feature virtuoso Malian, blues and R&B guitar they are mixed bass forward, recognising the importance of the rhythm section in all the styles they incorporate.
I can't say much, only that i loved this album <3 Its such a joy to listen to the tracks, all of them stick to me upon listing for the first time ! It feels like that i've known their music for a long time. I will defentily come back and listen to this album more often. Cheers
A very groovy and fun African blues rock record that sadly just didn’t really stick with me
Great album, with great fusion of rock/blues sound, African rhytms and languge of Mali!
Pretty cool
We're jammin'
UGHHH! Another album where the notion of rating or reviewing just crumbles. My response to it couldn't be more trivial. From what I understand, I don't think I can even understand exactly what this music means. GROOVE IN THE FACE OF WAR! I literally can't imagine. A five star blessing just to be able to listen.
alot better than i thought it would be
Didn’t get the whole thing listen to, but I could tell there’s probably some good stuff in there
I’m surprised by how well this list covers West African music, and it seems especially tapped into the “desert blues” scene. That is really cool, like, legitimately, especially considering how spotty this book is otherwise when it comes to ~world music~ from other continents. (For this reason, I won’t be at all shocked if a new edition includes an album from Mdou Moctar.) Unfortunately, Music in Exile isn’t really my personal vibe. It’s clear that Songhoy Blues are talented as fuck, with chaotic yet tight as screws rhythms and guitar shreds for days. They mostly use this talent to make some pretty standard-fare blues rock, though, which is disappointing and a clear waste. The best moments on this record are the ones that seamlessly combine West African musical elements with American blues traditions, leading to a frenzied, Afrobeat flurry. When that touch is light – or worse, nonexistent – it starts to drag, and the charm is lost completely. And it’s really a 40/60 split between a unique approach and bland pastiche. I think Music in Exile is pretty decent, but it’s not as interesting as the description on the tin makes it sound.
Really fun discovery. Exactly what I love about this website and working through the 1,000
Really interesting listen 3/5
3.3 stars rounded down.
Lovely sounds; I enjoyed the general vibe of the album
Cool stuff.
Unfathomably uninmpressing
Cool instrumentation and rhythms in play, but not really my style. Cool for a bit, but I can’t latch onto the song structure or melodies.
I love the beats in the entire album. Even though I don't understand the words, the music is great. Loved it.
Really enjoyed this. Not at all what I was expecting.
Quite enjoyable.
While I have appreciated the majority of the African albums featured on this list, this particular one, despite its lively nature, failed to capture my interest.
It was interesting to me that even though I couldn't understand the words, the blues spoke for itself. I liked that.
Good when in a particular mood. Happy to be introduced to it.
Bullshit.
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.
Can see how it might be good if you can understand it but the difference in language kind of broke the experience. The covers were ok. The first song got my hopes up but it was downhill from there.
Really good Blues. Hard to judge lyrics when I can’t understand the language.
Groupe inconnu. Je ne suis pas fan de blues, je trouve ce style en général trop monotone. C'est le cas ici, les morceaux sont répétitifs. Même si les chorus de guitare sont plutôt intéressants (+1), je ne l'écouterais pas une seconde fois. =>2/5
THIS is the stuff I come here for. Blew my socks right on off. Will definitely be coming back for more!
Achei bem interessante, mas é aquele tipo de musica que precisa de um pouco mais de dedicação para entender as letras, entrar no universo e pegar a vibe.
Mabey I’m overly cynical here today but this just felt gimmicky. Interesting concept of having African dudes playing blues music but I just didn’t buy it. Good effort and maybe I’m wrong. Side note this seems like it is one of the most current records I have had to listen to on this list.
How this made the list I'll never know.
I haven't been a big fan of most of the "world music" in this list, but this one hits a little different. A real guitar-driven, bluesy feel but with some African flair mixed in. Not bad for a few guys from (literally) Timbuktu.
Really like this!
This sounded like a heavy blues and country album but sung by Africans, pretty cool
Sympa !
cool sound, a genre I should listen to more
This was awesome. Discovered a whole new genre + the back story made it even cooler
Superb!
6.5/10. It's a really intriguing album. I think that the desert blues vibe is nice. That being said, it isn't really for me. It does have some really nice songs on it. Sorry!!! :)
Love the guitar work.
Decent sounding African blues
I liked it. Maybe to much of the African vibe at times. But I can live with it. Didnt understand much of the lyrics thought
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
Amazing album with deep blues roots altough the group being from Africa. Arrangments are gold fussioning blues with their native african sounds making it sonetthing fresh. Love it and males me want to learn the la guage to understand it.
new sound for me, cool but not really my sort of thing
I honestly can’t believe that anyone rated this above a 1
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
This was fine. Nothing that blew my mind - but nothing I was turned off about.
Not really for me
This was some fantastic music that I would have never found outside the 1001 project! Easy to listen to, great sound production. Such an easy 5/5 from me
I recognize it as good, but just not my thing
Moderne afrikansk bluesrock, rytmisk, underholdende
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%
Snapte er niks van, maar wel vibey
Epische vind, ik wil naar Mali
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.
It's hard to imagine being forced to flee your home and start a new life. It's amazing they channeled their story into something beautiful and positive and continued to spread the sounds of their roots. Kinda dig the Mali blues!
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.
Heidän bluesinsa on vähän yksitoikkoista, vaikka kuulostaakin kuunneltavalta. Vokaalitulkinnat lisäävät mielenkiintoa, ja Wayei-biisissä on jotain erityistä. 2,5
Not bad, but not particularly good.
Meh
Oh, Album Generator, why can't you be like this more often!? Bloody fantastic! Fits right in between the mystical madness of BKO's "Djine Bora" and the folksy, more sparse side of this music on N'Gou Bagayoke's "Kulu", two other great albums I gladly discovered this year. Go listen! Totally goes into the collection (will skip "Nick" every time, though, those drums can fuck off.).
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!
That was a pleasant surprise. This is why this album project is so appealing to me, I get to hear things I never would otherwise. Despite having no idea what these guys are singing about this still manages to be really catchy, toe-tapping stuff. I enjoyed the music from the very first minute, and can hear the emotions in the later songs. This album is an interesting journey.
Man, I love Afrorock bands. There's a soul and rhythm to this form that's difficult to find these days. Music In Exile also has the spirit of a protest record which is a common thread among African recording artists.
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
Интересная музыка, но не понятно как альбом оказался в этом списке
Another interesting item this project has thrown up, great rhythms, melodies. Think because of me not being unable to speak the language I’m missing out on an important part of what when are expressing if the wiki entry is anything to go by, but still great music all the same, and will have to take a-look at the documentary.
Never would have listened to this if not for this list, and glad I did. Such a unique album.
Definitely going to need to see the write up on this one. Can't say I am tremendously into it.
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 Track: "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.
I need to see them live immediately. Music that makes me smile and dancing not an option.
The first few tracks are good, but songs in the middle seems to be a bit dull as no exciting changes in music happened, then in Petit Metier music begins to become more interseting again. I appreciate the unique sound it brings but I can't deny that it's a bit homogeneous somehow. I do like the music though, probably a 3/5-3.5/5.
Every week doing this I’m reminded that a lot of the albums generated on here just don’t fit the bill of “NEED” to hear before you die. Like, no. I respect this type of music and I’m sure it’s good to people who can understand the lyrics but like, no enjoyment unfortunately. Didn’t understand a word
Awesome
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.
This is a really interesting album with a really interesting story. A group of fellas so determined to play rock and roll that they are forced to leave their own country due to shariah law. It’s old school blues/rock n roll, but there’s some very clearly defined African influences as well, which makes for a fun album to listen to. I’m definitely more impressed by their story and commitment to the music than I am by their actual songwriting, which is honestly nothing special. It’s a fun album and I think it’s pretty well done, but I probably won’t be listening to it again. 3 stars.
It’s nice to finally get something from outside of North America or Europe, and this album comes to us from Mali. It’s predominantly a rock and roll album tinged with blues and a clear influence from North African music. I enjoyed the experience of listening to this album, but it’s too much of a traditional rock n roll album for me to really get super excited about. “Wayei” was my favorite track. 6.5/10
Much more fun than I thought it would be. Though I can’t understand what they are singing about the rhythms make you feet tap and the singing is infectious.
Enjoyable, if not my thing
i was expecting a global rating slightly lower, not bad not remarkable imo
Nice surprise
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.
Opened up with a stonker. Pleasantly surprised by this although didn’t understand a word. Blues is blues right. And this wasn’t the no time for blues type. Trailed off towards the end.
The Blues originated in the cotton fields of the Missippi delta. It is the history of African-America's fight against slavery and story telling of their suffering at the hands of colnialism. And so its right the blues should get a revamp with a wholly Afrtican slant. This rocks but with joy and ambition rather than describing the wores of oppression. Good.
The great thing about this project is discovering music that I would never have the opportunity to listen to otherwise. Great album
Loved this one when it was new, and again now. Fantastic groove all the way through. Great backstory, too.
Blues terug naar de roots. Vet.
This was really nice!
good, but as an odd track
I love the story behind this album, and as it started I loved the sound. That being said, can’t imagine listening to it again.
This was a joy to hear again Love this one.
Some great saharan blues! Guitar riffs are strong and representative of the traditional style from Mali and the region.
very enjoyable to listen to, especially when working since it's not in English. loved it. similar sounding guitar to the black keys.
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”.
Meh 2.5 stars
This wasn't bad.
3/5 - would listen again Really tight. Great riffs and harmonies. Good melody lyrically, but not understanding lyrics is a drawback. May be Desert Blues, but their story is as punk as it comes!
Interesting, i wasn’t expecting the electric guitar on this one. Something new and interesting but probably wont seek out again
Better than you'd expect
Nice to listen to
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!
not super enjoyable, but fun
Pretty good and interesting to listen to something different, although I was expecting something more engaging. After a few spins I don't really remember any of the songs in particular.
Wow!
Very urgent, even without full appreciation of the crisis they were singing about.
I really enjoyed this album - loved the rhythm of the album across the riffs and drums - and after reading about some of their story and a few translated lyrics this is a 5
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
Didn't understand a word. Didn't need to. This was awesome.
This was more bluesy and rocky than I expected from musicians from Mali. It's an interesting listen, but I don't speak the language so it doesn't pull me as much.
Strong 3 that is probably a strong 4, if not for the language barrier. Buyt, that's more my problem than the albums.
The kind of album where I wish I spoke the language (or could track down translations!) to enjoy these songs even more.
Exceptional album. After listening I went and listened to everything by them, including their NPR Tony Desk Concert.
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.
Cool story. Good execution. Not particularly engaging or interesting music to me.
Due to this landing on a Friday, I was able to run in twice. Im glad I did because it took me a while to enjoy the fusion of western rock ideas (what sounded like blues/r&b) with the afro/mali rock sounds. I still think it would be challenging to find a band for them to tour with- apparently they opened for Alabama Shakes for a while? I didn’t hate any track. I most enjoyed the albums final two tracks - desert melodies and Mali. The story behind the band is pretty inspiring too. Islam is one hell of a drug
Interesting to read their story, and some cool connections to western music - sort of discovered by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, played alot of the big festivals, and opened for Alabama Shakes in NYC. Spotify happened to auto-play their newer 2020 album "Optimisme" after this one, and it's a completely different band. These influences above come out so much more. Obviously something sounding western shouldn't be the bar, but this album brings through the blues sounds and guitar chops so much more, while still keeping some of the west African rhythms and licks. And it rocks - especially the opening track "Bandala". Music in Exile wasn't really my thing, but will give these guys some stars as a band overall, and because we could be distant Hoy cousins.
A struggle. 1/2 *