Siberia Extreme

A unique offering of what at first sounds like it could be experimental field recordings from the northernmost republic of Siberia sliced with shamanic trances and accompanied by offbeat rhythms and jingles of jazz. It is in fact the storytelling expressions of nature and childhood memories from Chyskyyrai (real name Valentina Romanova), building on the rich musical and cultural traditions of Sakha mythology and folk tales and the ancient mythological epic Olonkho.

Chyskyyrai's singing draws from folk and a variety of other vocal techniques to share her stories through expressive and passionate vocal jerks, guttural intentions, imitations of nature and repetitive narratives. The recordings come from a meeting and collaboration in 2005 with free jazz explorers and shamanic musical stalwarts Tim Hodgkinson (of Henry Cow fame) and Ken Hyden. They provide the soundtrack to the storytelling through additions of steel guitar, sax, dungur (shaman's drum) and other percussion.

The tracks can take you from a singular stretch of a chord or sharp intake of breath to a full blown trance and hypnotic tribal offering. The first track, ‘Khara Tuun’ grabs your attention and prepares you for the adventures that lay ahead. It is important to listen to the messages and listen to the work as an indigenous storytelling journey.