SONGHOY BLUES *live

Songhoy Blues (Transgressive Records/ML) *live*

From the very first listen to "Héritage", the fourth album by Songhoy Blues, it is clear that the band from northern Mali is striking a new note. With a more acoustic and creative approach, they reinterpret the "desert blues" that made them internationally famous. The Songhoy, an ethnic group from the north of Mali, are a major influence on the sound of the desert blues. With "Héritage", the band pays tribute to the great musicians of past generations whose work still inspires them today. Their songs deal with themes of life and love in Mali and are based on five-note scales, rock rhythms, rough vocals and glittering guitar sounds. These elements are also omnipresent on "Héritage", albeit with a more intimate groove that is interwoven with sounds from the country's various ethnic traditions. Migration and displacement also shape their view of cultural heritage in their music.

The four band members have been living in Bamako for over ten years, as they are unable to return safely to their home in northern Mali due to religious fanaticism. Bamako, with its intense music scene, has become a melting pot of sounds. This experience has led Songhoy Blues to rethink their own understanding of "tradition", as this has always not sprung from a single source, but arises from diversity and encounters. "The mixing of cultures didn't just start today!" comments lead guitarist Garba Touré. The band made a name for themselves in 2013 with their energetic style, which has been described as "Timbuktu punk". Distinctive guitars, rock rhythms and socially critical lyrics also characterize the band's sound on "Héritage", but seem more intimate and more interwoven with traditional Malian sounds.

The album was created in Bamako under the production of Paul Chandler and combines new songs with reinterpretations of older pieces. Traditional instruments such as the kora, soku and kamalengoni characterize the sound, as do influences from takamba, wassoulou and griot music. The result is a multi-layered sound between the familiar and the new.

Héritage is a must for fans of Songhoy Blues and also for fans of desert blues, rock or simply good music.

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