Ancestors Call

These extremely well recorded new versions of songs familiar to Tuvan throat singing fans (mainly from 1994's The Orphan's Lament CD) finds the band really in the groove. Well, they have had 14 years to perfect the arrangements. The opening track, ‘Mazhalyk-Ta’, features newest member Radik Tyulyush playing a revived end-blown Tuvan flute – the shoor. His breathy tone adds a haunting atmosphere to lead singer Khaigal-ool Khovalyg's keening voice, which is a stunning as ever, especially in the beautiful lush arrangement of ‘Orphan's Lament’. The multiple igil (Tuvan fiddle) accompaniment drifts in rich slow motion harmonies, always respectful to the sung melody.

On ‘Remembering Ulaatai River’, the solo sygyt style of khöömei (overtone singing) is staggering. The clear, pure overtone melody shines like a diamond over the simultaneous, compressed, guttural vocal drone. Khaigal-ool Khovalyg's khargyraa singing (sub-harmonic) is on good form on the faster, ‘horsey’ rhythmic old chestnuts ‘Chyraa-Khoor’ (The Yellow Trotter), ‘Eki Attar’ and ‘Eerbek Aksy’. His clear and husky overtone melodies, deriving from the undertone resonated an octave below his normal singing voice, are supported by a well honed Tuvan groove from Alexei Saryglar's tunger (shaman's frame drum) and the rolling bass figures on the doshpuluur (fretted lute) of original member Sayan Bapa. If you already own their earlier releases, including some of their live ones, you will have most of these pieces in one form or another. But, if you are new to Huun Huur Tu, this is a great release and introduction to the band.