Ayalgalar: Melodies

This is the fourth and highly listenable release by Tyva Kyzy. They were the first and only women's group in Tuva, performing all styles of Tuvan throat singing. Choduraa Tumat formed the group in 1998 and the feel of the album is made light and breezy by her arrangements of traditional songs, particularly by the deft accompaniment on the chadagan, a type of plucked and struck oblong boxed harp. These beautiful pentatonic melodies are amply heard on ‘Taraan Taraam Dazyr Shölde’, a medley of love songs, and ‘Ched-tai’. ‘Khomustarnyng Khevirleri’ incorporates different overtone melodies expertly played on metal and bamboo jaw harps with some of their overtone melodies matched by various khöömei throat singing styles. The soft overtone melodies and rasping of the recently revived cha-khomus (mouth bow) is featured on a couple of tracks, as are some of the younger and newer members of the group. It is warming that this female tradition will carry on to the next generation.