Tuvan Throat Singing (World Folk)

One of the most interesting forms of folk music I've encountered hails from Tuvan people of Siberia. It involves several traditional instruments as well as throat singing: a variant on the practice of overtone singing, which many ancient cultures across the globe use in their music. In general, overtone singing involves altering the way air resonates before it leaves a singer's mouth so that a listener hears both the root note and one or more overtones, which the singer can adjust by adjusting their mouth, pharynx, or larynx.

Tuvan folk music is deeply rooted in their animistic beliefs; songs will usually have a few verses of chanted poetry followed by long boughs of throat singing or khoomei. Singers are said to be communicating with spirit masters and making appeals for protection by imitating sounds from nature. But what's really cool is that singers will sometimes make long treks into the Siberian expanse to find a sweet place to throat sing. And if you've never seen Siberia, it's beautiful.

Check out Huun-huur-tu for some down and dirty Tuvan folk music - it's pretty fucking mesmerizing.

Huun-huur-tu - Tuvane International

Huun-huur-tu - Karagyraa