INTRODUCING YOU TO BANDS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, BUT TOTALLY SHOULD.

Songhoy Blues

I wish that I knew what Songhoy Blues was singing about given their background and the struggles that formed the band in the first place. You would think that a group of Northern Mali refugees driven to the South of their country by religious extremism would display anger or malice in their Traditional- Malian-Desert-Blues-Meets-American-Rock sound. Reach out past the upbeat tempo, the driving guitars and the vocals still convey a positive feeling. To me, not knowing what they’re singing might actually be a part of the magic of their music though. Their blend of traditional African music with American blues guitars and beats is a bit reminiscent of Amadou and Mariam (also from Mali), but Songhoy Blues goes heavier and more towards rock while Amadou and Mariam lend themselves to pop and dance. Don’t let the language barrier get in the way of this great band. They’re so much more than just “World Music” and should start being added to your rotations.