Songhoy Blues have released 'Mali Nord (feat. Elf Kid),' the latest track from their upcoming album, Résistance, which Fat Possum Records/Transgressive Records will release on Friday, June 16th. In addition to Elf Kid, the album features contributions from Iggy Pop, Stealing Sheep and Lxury.
In their premiere of 'Mali Nord,' The FADER write, "As they seamlessly thread guitar solos and melodic vocals, the artists amplify the voices of refugees while championing their strength in spite of opposition".
The band said, "With 'Mali Nord' we wanted to talk about something close to both the band and Elf Kid: refugees and immigration. It's something that surrounds all of us, whether it's from Libya before the fall of Gaddafi, or Syria, or within Mali itself. All these refugees who are in camps, those who cross the Sahara to the sea to go to Europe to find a better life, many have lost their lives in the desert. Good lives. We wanted to deal with that because it feels like a point the media misses a lot of the time."
Elf Kid said, "Songhoy are a great band to work with because they are such good musicians and it's been my pleasure to be a part of the album. I love the fact that they can combine strong melodies with deep and meaningful lyrics. Working on this track was a challenge to bring our two worlds together, I can't wait to perform this live with them."
Résistance is bold, inspiring and outward-looking, perfectly reflecting the position in which the band have found themselves following the massive success of their breakthrough debut, Music In Exile, released in 2015. It was recorded in the autumn of 2016 at The Pool studio in London with producer Neil Comber (MIA, Django Django, Crystal Fighters, Declan McKenna).
With more time and a wider armoury of equipment at their disposal, the album is the sound of
Songhoy Blues stretching themselves, with hints of R&B, soul and hip-hop all fusing seamlessly with the band's trademark exuberant sound, with themes for our time.
Clash called the album's first single, 'Bamako,' "a sheer blast of positive energy," with Rolling Stone praising the "skittering disco-tinged guitar vamp [that] slinks through the track alongside spaced-out synth lines and brassy horn blast."
The band released their debut album, Music In Exile, in early 2015 receiving across the board praise, including a 5/5 rating in The Guardian who claimed, "they have all the makings of African-rock crossover heroes." Rolling Stone named the band one of their 10 Artists You Need to Know, calling the album "a churning, loose-limbed garage-rock take on traditional Malian music.
Songhoy Blues - Résistance
1. Voter
2. Bamako
3. Sahara (featuring Iggy Pop)
4. Yersi Yadda
5. Hometown
6. Badji
7. Dabari
8. Ici Bas
9. Ir Ma Sobay
10. Mali Nord (featuring Elf Kid)
11. Alhakou
12. One Colour
Songhoy Blues U.S. Tour
September 28
Washington, DC
U Street Music Hall
September 29
New York, NY
Bowery Ballroom
September 30
Boston, MA
City Winery
October 1
Montreal, QC
L'Astral
October 3
Toronto, ON
The Mod Club
October 5
Chicago, IL
Lincoln Hall
October 6
Madison, WI
University of Wisconsin-Madison: The Sett
October 7
Minneapolis, MN
Cedar Cultural Center
October 10
Nashville, TN
The
Basement East
October 11
Atlanta, GA
City Winery Atlanta
October 12
Oxford, MS
Proud Larry's
October 13
New Orleans, LA
Tipitina's Uptown
October 18
Solana Beach, CA
Belly Up Tavern
October 19
Los Angeles, CA
Teragram Ballroom
October 20
San Francisco, CA
Bimbo's 365 Club
October 24
Eugene, OR
WOW Hall
October 25
Portland, OR
Doug Fir Lounge
October 26
Seattle, WA
The Crocodile
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