Album Review: Héritage by Songhoy Blues

Fourth album from Mali’s premier desert guitar troupe incorporates more in the way of nuance and fluidity while still maintaining their striking impact Since first appearing back in 2015 with debut album Music In Exile, Malian guitar troupe Songhoy Blues have established themselves as a formidable musical presence both in the studio and in the live environment. Their brand of desert blues has been somewhat more incendiary and electrified than many of their fellow African bands, possessing a more overtly 'rock' dimension as best demonstrated on last album Optimisme (which projected strong 'Led Zeppelin go to the Sahara' vibes in places). Fourth album Héritage sees them take a step back from the dynamic, high intensity nature of their earlier work, with the focus here being more considered and acoustic showcasing greater intricacies than perhaps seen previously.

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When musicians "unplugged" in the 90s it added a perceived layer of MTV-endorsed authenticity to any repertoire. It's been years now since such a move generated much reaction at all, which is why desert blues outfit Songhoy Blues' switch to acoustic-based instruments for their fourth album might have raised alarm bells. Any misgivings are soon dispelled on opener Toukambela - a reworking of a 1971 song by Mali's Orchestre Kanaga de Mopti - where the space for intrepid percussion, call-and-response backing vocals and even flutes brings a joyous vigour to proceedings.

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