Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
|
Product Description
Review
Since their music is based on traditional songs from the inner Mongolian grasslands, and features the warm, frayed drone of the morin khuur (horse hair fiddle), the tobshuur two-stringed lute) and hoomei ('throat' or 'overtone singing') as its dominant flavours, Hanggai are bound to be compared with the likes of Tuvan traditionalists Huun-Huur-Tu. Hanggai don't have quite the same level of vocal talent at their disposal, but nor is their music as traditional as Huun-Huur-Tu, who themselves broke with tradition by combining closely related vocal styles with very similar instruments for the first time. Co-producers Robin Haller and Matteo Scumacihave further enriched the folkloric sound palette by adding unobtrusive electric guitar, bass, banjo, programming and crisply atmospheric percussion. Such elements are most obvious on the experimental (and not completely successful) trip-hop flavoured Lullaby (Borulai), which even throws in a few tentative vocal harmonies - again, not something you'd hear
out on the steppes.
In fact, it's the sounds of Beijing's back streets that subtly invade the album - most notably the passing traffic at the end of Yekul Song - lending it the ambience of an urban field recording in places. Not trying to hide the fact that it wasn't recorded out in the country gives the music an honest feel that makes up for its occasional shortcomings and brevity, at only 36 minutes. By its very nature World Music Network's 'Introducing' series doesn't allow for 'difficult second albums', but Hanggai show plenty of promise, and deserve another outing elsewhere. --Jon Lusk
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
The Observer, (Neil Spencer), July 27, 2008
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
And so I bought the album...
...it's a really great sound. If you were to take western rock style composition and Chinese/Mongolian themes and added in the novelty of a didgeridoo, you'd only get close to what this is. I've been told that it was once very 'in' to listen to throat singing in polite society but that the gimick has lost its appeal. I doubt that this will happen to Hanggai. They're a proper band and these are 'proper' songs that will fit into your collection like any others.
I look forward to seeing them live again and would recommend it to anyone. The CD is well worth a punt. If you're still unsure, check them out on YouTube or maybe even Spotify... I don't know anyone who's been disappointed.
This won't be for everyone but if you like some 'world music' and are open to new sounds this might be right for you.
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Music > Pop
- Music > World Music
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
