Songhoy Blues are charting new territory with Héritage, their fourth studio album. Known for their fiery blend of rock and traditional Malian music, the band shifts gears here, embracing an acoustic sensibility that amplifies their roots while expanding their sound in surprising directions. For the four musicians, who hail from Mali’s troubled north but now reside in Bamako, Héritage is a statement about tradition, resilience, and the power of reinvention.

Songhoy Blues have long drawn inspiration from the culture of the Songhoy people, an ethnic group whose history is woven into the fabric of northern Mali. However, their music is also a reflection of displacement. For more than a decade, the band has been unable to return home due to threats from extremists who view music as forbidden. In exile, they’ve built a career that fuses their heritage with a modern, global perspective.

“We’re here to observe and reflect on society,” explains guitarist Garba Touré. “That’s the responsibility we take seriously as artists.” True to this ethos, Héritage explores themes of identity, migration, and the evolution of tradition. These ideas are expressed not only in the lyrics but also in the album’s instrumentation and arrangements, which blend the familiar with the unexpected.

Recorded with producer Paul Chandler, Héritage features an impressive lineup of Malian musicians and traditional instruments. The kora, soku, and kamalengoni add ethereal layers to the band’s signature five-note scales and rock rhythms. Traces of takamba dance rhythms, wassoulou grooves, and Senufo melodies weave through the tracks which honor Mali’s musical diversity.

But don't think the album is nothing more than a look back, it’s forward-looking, drawing on the band’s decade in Bamako, a city buzzing with a mix of traditional and contemporary music. This environment has shaped Héritage as much as the group’s northern roots. “The mixing of cultures didn’t start today,” Touré says, pointing to the interconnectedness of traditions as a source of inspiration.

Since their electrifying 2015 debut Music in Exile, Songhoy Blues have become global ambassadors of desert blues. Their dynamic stage presence has electrified audiences at Glastonbury, Royal Albert Hall, and beyond. Collaborations with legends like Damon Albarn, Iggy Pop, and Nick Zinner have further cemented their reputation. Offstage, their activism has been equally impactful—they’ve raised awareness through their roles as WaterAid ambassadors, performed at the UN Climate Action Summit, and even featured in the acclaimed documentary They Will Have to Kill Us First.

With Héritage, the band continue to push boundaries. The album balances reverence for tradition with a bold willingness to experiment. Its blend of acoustic intimacy and rich, layered arrangements invites listeners to reflect on the ways heritage can evolve without losing its soul.