Throat Singing from Mongolia
Mongolia highlands in Central Asia between Siberia and China is the home of the young musician Dangaa Khosbayar (Chosbayar). His music is of nomadic origins and reflects the close ties Mongolians have to nature.
The unique and fascinating oddness in Mongolian music, is the traditional vocal art of throat singing, called „Chöömij“. Nasal sounds are mixed with almost gasping bass tunes, combined with whistelinglike overtones all together produced by the vocal chords.
The soloist Dangaa Khosbayar was born into a family of „Chöömij“ singers coming from the Altai mountain range and since early age, as a child, he has been practicing throat singing. As a graduate from the technical school of music and dance in Ulan Baatar, he has received many awards for his unique interpretation of Mongolian music. In 1995 he was honored as best Mongolian singer after participating in a national contest.
„Altai“ is the name of his first album released outside of Mongolia in cooperation with the Musikwerkstatt Speyer and the composer and world music production team Pat Pangea and Wolfgang Paukstatt. All through the production the main theme is the horse in Mongolia a very much honored animal; it is imitated through vocals and instruments. Besides the horse being a main subject, nomad life, the family, friendship, love, home and nature are also strong subjects being expressed in very emotional songs. „Altai“ has magical charisma vocals and instrumentation are perfectly arranged, so that the listener is taken away on a trip to the far plains and mountain ranges of Central Asia just by listening to this production.