Sunday, January 30, 2011

CD Review: Yat-Kha's Tuvan Rock on 'The Ways of Nomad'


The Ways of Nomad: The Best Of

The Tuvan rock and throat-singing of Russia's Yat-Kha has been an iconic presence in the world of Tuvan music for the past two decades. Led by vocalist and guitarist Albert Kuvezin, Yat-Kha takes the world by storm with traditional instrumentation and electro-ethnic elements that are darkly inviting. The name of the group is coined after a Central Asian instrument. The vocal style of Kuvezin has been noted as kargyraa, which is basically a deeper, more growling version of the traditional form of Tuvan throat-singing. Importantly, not all of the songs center on throat-singing. The Ways of Nomad features hits from 1995-2003. Anyone with an interest in Tuvan folk, throat-singing, Mongolian, Central Asian, or Russian folk and rock music should own everything by Yat-Kha. Liner notes in English, Russian, and Tuvan. ~ Matthew Forss

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