Each week, World in Stereo examines classic and modern world music while striving for a greater appreciation of other cultures.
Huun Huur Tu: Ancestors Call (World Village, 10/12/2010)
Huun Huur Tu: “Chyraa-Khoor (Yellow Pacer)”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/09Chyraa-Khoor-Yellow-Pacer.mp3|titles=Huun Huur Tu: “Chyraa-Khoor (Yellow Pacer)”]
Obtaining music from a tiny, remote place like the Republic of Tuva is similar to possessing some sort of mysterious artifact. For Huun Huur Tu’s latest offering, Ancestors Call, the sentiment holds true as the four folk traditionalists have reintroduced to the world an art form from one of the least-known regions in Siberia. Collecting the group’s most-admired songs, the quartet has redefined the music that it pioneered more than 15 years ago, reworking these original pieces with a 20th Century approach to composition and rhythm.
Despite increasingly miserable mainstream hits (how can the radio get any worse?), 2007 was an excellent, indulgent, fulfilling year of music. Here is a look at our favorite ten albums of the year.