Country : Niger / Québec Canada Label : Nuits d'Afrique Genres and styles : afro-rock / Saharan Blues Year : 2025

Boubé – Voyager

· by Frédéric Cardin

The Tuareg/desert blues scene has a new name: Boubé. The young musician from Niger, based in Montreal, is releasing Voyager, his first EP. The man who won the Silver Syli award from Productions Nuits d’Afrique in 2024 has surrounded himself with a solid trio from the Montreal scene: Vincent Duhaime Perreault, Carlo Birri and Sylvain Plante. Essentially, guitars, bass and percussion propel catchy, generous melodies and the engaging voice of the young musician, who talks about subjects rooted in the nomadic nature of the Tuareg people: travel, contact with others on the various paths of life, ‘not forced’ exile, because it’s in the DNA of this people to always be on the move. Boubé takes this notion a step further by moving to Montreal a few years ago. It’s a calculated choice to take advantage of the excellence of the Montreal scene, as well as benefiting from the support of Productions Nuits d’Afrique for this well-crafted release. 

If you recognise some of the impulses of Bombino, an elder and star of desert blues, you’re not wrong, because Boubé was his protégé for a time. More generally, Boubé’s electric, sun-drenched music makes its way through the grooves cut into the sandy granularity of the immense panoramas of Saharan Africa. Tinariwen, Etran Finawatra (of course) and especially Mdou Moctar, a much more recent arrival and another of the young Montrealer’s declared affiliations, have all left their stylistic mark on this album. 

There’s a lot of power in the sonic surges emanating from Boubé’s quartet, but also a gentleness of intention and purpose. We sense the beauty of an open and curious mind, respectful of others and eager to reach out to them. Like a sirocco that hits hard but soothes the soul. An unforgettable effect, a touching contradiction.

THE ALBUM WIL BE LAUNCHED MARCH 29 AT BALATTOU

The title track, Voyager, has all the makings of a viral summer hit. The other five tracks on the EP are perhaps a little too similar, harmonically and melodically speaking, to this one, but we’ll give him time to polish up the rest of his repertoire for an eventual full-length album. It’s true that when you have such an effective earworm on hand, it’s hard to forget it and move on to something else.

Voyager (the album) transports the mind and warms the heart. 

Latest 360 Content

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Sparks – MAD!

Sparks – MAD!

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Cazzu – Latinaje

Cazzu – Latinaje

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Subscribe to our newsletter