China may have been an economic superpower for some years now, but its cultural output is lagging behind. Until suddenly there was Hanggai: the first Chinese group to play at Lowlands, Roskilde and Zwarte Cross. The points for 'most striking appearance' were quickly received. With their thick coats and high fur hats, the six look like the fierce great-grandchildren of Genghis Khan. Singer Ilchi is
… an ex-hard rocker who immersed himself in the tradition of throat singers from Mongolia, the land of his ancestors. Those unearthly-sounding vocals that are gargled up from the deepest part of the throat sound strange and tough at the same time. In combination with a banjo and a skipping country rhythm, the group even sounds particularly accessible in a song like Yung Ding Cap. A striking detail is, that the Dutchman JB Meijers (guitarist of De Dijk) signed for the crystal clear production. (PdK)more
