Mali Punk Group Songhoy Blues Tap Iggy Pop for New Album
Mali blues-punk outfit Songhoy Blues unveiled an incisive new song “Bamako” from their upcoming second album, Résistance, which arrives June 16th via Fat Possum/Transgressive Records. The record will notably feature guest vocals from Iggy Pop, Elf Kid and Stealing Sheep.
Named for the capital of Mali, “Bamako” is a grooving tribute to the city and its vibrant nightlife. A skittering disco-tinged guitar vamp slinks through the track alongside spaced-out synth lines and brassy horn blasts while singer Aliou Touré delivers a punchy vocal performance.
“So much of what people hear about Africa is negative; bad news stories about war and famine just dominate the common image of Africa,” Touré said of the song. “But this track is about dispelling that image by describing something everyone can relate to – going out on a Saturday night – to show that Africa isn’t just what people see in the news, there’s so much more to it than that.”
Résistance follows Songhoy Blues’ 2015 album, Music In Exile. The band recorded the album at the Pool Studio in London with producer Neil Comber (M.I.A., Django Django). Along with its guest vocalists, Résistance will feature additional synths from British producer Lxury.
Songhoy Blues will embark on a North American tour this fall, starting September 28th in Washington D.C. and wrapping October 27th in Vancouver.
Songhoy Blues Résistance Track List
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 Tour Dates
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 @ 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
October 12 – Oxford, MS @ Proud Larrys
October 13 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s
October 28 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up
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
October 27 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore