Initially, Huun-Huur-Tu did not find an audience in their own Tuva. The elite thought their music was for herders, rough people from the mountains and preferred to listen to civilized classical repertoire from the West. How ironic, then, that Huun-Huur-Tu's pastoral music was picked up in the West. In fact, if people know anything about Tuva, the small Russian province on the border with Mongolia,
… it is because of the unique guttural song of the herders. This age-old technique, called 'khöömei', has a hypnotic effect on the listener. And even if you've never been to Tuva, the group knows how to conjure up images of mountains and vast grasslands in your mind's eye. In the slow songs the loneliness resounds while the galloping rhythm of Eki Attar depicts an exciting ride on horseback. Ancestor's Call features reworks of songs the group previously recorded, yet is a welcome addition to their discography. (PdK)more
