TransSiberia-China Express

Hello again, a trans - siberian post coming up ending in China. But first, as noted in the comments many of my links have been scrapped, after i re uploaded the eurosonic ones again last weekend to divshare, sunday they mailed me and told me i was in breach and they scrapped all links i had there, it was no joke. Safe to say i wasnt very happy about all this, specially as my aim is to see those that get so little of the limelight to get some. I guess there's an enormous pool of hamburger terrorists.

Well this musicmeal acquires some adventurous tasting, but as most of you probably know these guys know their cooking.

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Yat-Kha - Yenisei-Punk
VA - The Heart of Tuva
Altai Hangai - Naariits Biilye ( Let's Dance)
VA - Voice of the Dragon
Double Fish - Hackers, My One Week
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Yat-Kha - Yenisei-Punk (95 * 106mb)

If you've never seen one mouth singing two or three separate simultaneous melodies, you really need to get out more. Go to Tuva, for example, a remote republic in Siberia surrounded by mountains and filled with moonshiners, miners and cows. There you will find shamanic folk songs played on unpronounceable instruments by bearded men with grizzly, guttural voices that will pimple your skin forever.

Yat-Kha was founded in Moscow in 1991, as a collaborative project between Kuvezin and Russian avant-garde, electronic composer Ivan Sokolovsky. The project blended traditional Tuvan folk music with post-modern rhythms and electronic effects. Kuvezin and Sokolovsky toured and played festivals, and eventually took the name “Yat-Kha,” which refers to a type of small, Central Asian zither similar to a Chinese Guzheng that Kuvezin plays in addition to the guitar. In 1993, they released a self-titled album on the General Records label. After the release of Yat-Kha, Kuvezin and Sokolovsky parted creative ways and Kuvezin went on to release five other albums under the name Yat-Kha with other musicians (and less of an emphasis on electronics), beginning with Yenisei Punk in 1995, with morin khuur player Alexei Saaia, subse quently released; Tundra's Ghosts (1996/97) , Dalai Beldiri (1999), Aldyn Dashka (2000), Bootleg (2001, live), Tuva Rock (2003), Re-Covers (2005) and
Bootleg 2005 another live album.

The Re-covers record made the biggest splash, from the opening strum of Led Zeppelin's 'When The Levee Breaks', 'Re-Covers' sets its stall as a reverent but unapologetic album. Simmering the song to its bones, Kuvezin rebuilds it as a Siberian folk masterpiece, his unnervingly deep growl spinning a magical, mesmeric tale over the delicate instrumentation. Unfortunately his work is hard to come by, so here's a chance.



01 - Solun Chaagai Soviet Churtum (5:11)
02 - Karangailyg Kara Hovaa (Dyngyldai) (3:07)
03 - Kaa-Khem (5:11)
04 - Kuu-La Khashtyn Baaryndan (4:11)
05 - Kamgalanyr Kuzhu-Daa Bar (3:20)
06 - Irik Chuduk (3:25)
07 - Chashpy-Khem (4:18)
08 - Kadarchy (4:54)
09 - Chok-La Kizhi Yry (4:07)
10 - Een Kurug Kagban-Na Men (2:56)
11 - Toorugtug Taiga (4:23)
12 - Kargyram (10:32)
13 - Kozhamyk (3:46)
14 - Doshpuluurum (2:26)

Yat Kha @ Base
Yat Kha @ Amazon

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VA - The Heart of Tuva (96 * 152mb)

Within a region of Siberia/Mongolian border that is called Tuva, there is more freezing weather than all of the Great Lakes region combined, surrounded by mountains and desert. This is a land where wrestling, games with sheep bones and carnivore appetites are a standard. In 1921, a group of herders created this country after Russians, Chinese, Turks, Huns, Mongols and other armies had over-run the land continuously.

So, what exactly is 'throat singing' then? Basically, it involves overtones that are heard in new music, applied to voices. Höömeï is the name applied to it though it is really only one of three or four styles also including sygyt and kargyraa. You hear a deep humming groan, mixed with a high pitched whistling sound. To practice this art, it's recommended not only to carefully practice proper breathing/inhaling and diet (no cold food before trying to do it) but also to, in the words of champion singer Kongar-ool Ondar, "be in an very uplifted mood; your soul, your inner spiritual voice, must be strong." Sometimes, three voicings are heard in one person's singing. Usually, it's done acapella by a single voice (but with its multi-voicing style, a singer may sound like a whole group). Unlike anything you've ever heard.



01 - Kongar-ool Onda - Medley of Throat Singing Styles Accompanied by Doshpuulur
02 - Aldyn-ool Sevek - Demonstration of Kargyraa
03 - Oleg Kuular - Collection of Hoomei Styles
04 - Oorzhak Khunashtaar-ool - Bolur-daa-bol, Bolbas-daa-bol
05 - Oorzhak Khunashtaar-ool - Eder-daa-bol, Etpes-daa-bol
06 - Bilchi-Maa Davaa - Hoomei Lullaby
07 - Shaktar Shulban - Demonstration of Sygyt and Kargyraa
08 - Kongar-ool Ondar - Dymzhuktaar
09 - Kaigal-ool Khovalyg - Fantasy on the Igil
10 - Kongar-ool Ondar - Fast Words
11 - Kongar-ool Ondar - Shamanic Prayer for Richard Feynman
12 - Nadezhda Kuular and the Tuvan State Ensemble Sayani - Teve Haia (Camel Rock)
13 - Sainkho Nahchylak - Bai-laa Taigam
14 - Mikhail Alperin et al - Prayer I
15 - Huun-Huur-Tu, with the Bulgarian Women's Choir Angelite et al - Fly, Fly My Sadness
16 - Oleg Kuular, Michail Alperin, et al - In the Cathedral
17 - Oleg Kuular, Michail Alperin, et al - Tuvan Industrial
18 - Albert Kuvezin and Yat-Kha - Yenisei-Punk
19 - Paul 'Earthquake' Pena - Kargyraa Moan
20 - Kongar-ool Ondar and Paul 'Earthquake' Pena - What You Talkin' About


Heart of Tuva @ Amazon

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Altai Hangai - Naariits Biilye ( Let's Dance)

Altai-Hangai is a group of musicians and singers from Mongolia. Named after the Altai mountains and the Hangai steppes, large natural reserves in Central and Western Mongolia. It all started in 1993, at the begining of summer, near a small village called Khudlaani Nuur. Here the locals, and some travellers gathered to celebrate - the summer games, like wrestling, arching and car maintanance (!) all well supported by plenty of wild Kumis ( fermented mare's milk, beerlike alcoholcontent). Here after partaking the bandmembers, Palamshav Childaa (Good Day), Ganbold Muukha (Inflexible Metal), Ganzorig Nergui (Strong Heart) , Byambakhishig Lhagva (Saturday's Present) met and gave their first spontanous concert.Since they have spent much time spreading their music through Europe and the US. Using traditional Mongolian instruments and forms, not only do they produce traditional music, but they have recently started producing some jazz fusion music as well. As for releases its hard to get a picture, they lack a webpresence "Gone with the wind" and this Let's dance are the only titles ive come across.



01 - Joroo Mori
02 - Tsatsal
03 - Jargalan
04 - Ikh Tatlaga
05 - Baltsin Kheer
06 - Naariits Biilye
07 - Tawan Khazakh
08 - Seden Zaluu
09 - Tooraan Tsagaan
10 - Jonon Khariin Yawdal
11 - Uyeiin Ulaan Tsar
12 - Göölöö Gemgomiin
13 - Sarig Tsagaan Ingenii
14 - Mongoliin Bükh
15 - Shuvtardag
16 - Hoton Ardiin Tatlagariin
17 - Khan Khökiig Nuruu
18 - Buuwein Duu
19 - Tsogtaal Biilye
20 - Bögööjei Gelgui Yakhaw
21 - Khotgoidiin Unaga
22 - Hangain Magtaal


Liner notes
Altai-Hangai @ Amazon

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VA - Voice of the Dragon ( 05 * 210mb)

This compilation CD was issued on the occasion of the Amsterdam China Festival 2005. Voice, well voices of the dragon would be better , this cd includes many different communities, from Tibetans and Mongolians to Miaao, Yi, Uighur, Tujia and Koreans, not to mention the Manchu, Zhuang and Buyi chinese speaking but with their own musical culture. China has the size of europe with more than double the number of inhabitants. Music and high spirits form an inseparable unity in chinese culture, be it the ritual- court music or wilder village bands, high-brow meditations for zither or the ebullent opera, all express a deep heartfelt joy and passion for life and music. A commitment that's been continued by current day pop, rock and avant garde.

The tracks on these cd's are not neatly grouped by region or genre, they form on on going 'soundscape' with deliberately programmed contrasts and unexpected cross-links. Enjoy this musical journey, "Yi lu shun feng !"



Voice of the Dragon 1 (*103mb)

01 - Li Jun, Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe - Peking Opera 'Farewell At Sha Bridge'
02 - Gong Linna, Musicians Of Wu Xing Et Al - 'Walking The Path Of Life'
03 - Hong Kong Sinfonietta Tsung Yeh - Liu Tianhua 'Beautiful Night', For Strings
04 - Various Artists - Dong Vocal Polyphony (Guizhou) 'i Use A Blue Cloth To Hide My Heart'
05 - Wu Man, Pipa (Lute) - Improvisation, For Pipa Solo
06 - Huo Yanggang, Banhu (Fiddle) - 'Qinqiang', For Banhu Solo
07 - Sheng Xiaoyun, Vocals Pipa - Suzhou Story Singing 'Parting At West Lake'
08 - Zhan Yangming (Bamboo Flute) & Ensemble - 'Ripening Grapes In Turfan'
09 - Three Excerpts - Zhuang And Yao Vocal Polyphony (Guangxi)
10 - Ma Guoguo, Jew's Harp - Jew's Harp Solo Of The Yi 'Torch Festival Night'
11 - Uyghur Musicians From Xinjiang - Raq Muqam Of Ili
12 - With Robert Zollitsch, Zither - Urna_ 'Öör Yörtönch', Mongolian Chant
13 - Lin Shicheng & Gao Hong, Pipa - Pipa Duet 'Three Six' (San Liu)
14 - Li Shiren Et Al - Shawm Band Music From Liaoning 'Blow The Fair'
15 - Shen Wei Et Al., Guangzhou - 'Thunder In Drought', Cantonese Music
16 - Shanghai Chinese Orchestra_Xia Feiyun - Zhu Jian Er 'Days Of Emancipation'
17 - Liu Yilong, Shanghai Kunqu Troupe - Kunqu_ Excerpt From The Opera Nie Hai Ji
18 - Dai Xiaolian, Qin (Zither) Solo - 'Parasol Leaves Dancing In The Autumn Wind'
19 - Chong Liao, Piano - Wang Lisan_ 'Sonatina' For Piano (1957), Part 1
20 - Qiu Ji, Zheng (Zither) Solo - Xu Xiaolin 'Ode To Guizhou'
21 - Nieuw Ensemble - Guo Wenjing_ Drama, For 3 Percussionists (2003) (Excerpt)
22 - CNSO_Chen Zuohuang - Red Detachment Of Women (1965) (2 Excerpts)

Voice of the Dragon 2 (107mb)

01 - Adia & Jui-Chuan Chang, Taipei, Taiwan - Taiwanese Rock_ 'Xu' _ 'Chang'
02 - Second-Hand Rose Band - Beijing Rock_ 'Picking Flowers'
03 - Yuan Sha, Zheng (Zither) Solo - 'Raindrops Falling On The Plantain'
04 - Zhan Yongming, Dizi (Bamboo Flute) Solo - 'Spring Morning On West Lake'
05 - Subhendra Rao, Sitar, Gao Hong, Pipa, Ty Burhoe, Tabla - 'Morning' (Excerpt)
06 - Tanzin, Gannan (Amdo Tibet) - 'Thunder Echoes', Tibetan Folk Song
07 - Chinese Orchestra Of The Beijing Central Conservatory - 'Flowing Waters'
08 - Unidentified Singer, Qinghai - 'Sweet Voiced Cuckoo' Tibetan 'bluegrass'
09 - Folk Musicians, Changsha - Funeral Music For Shawm Band (Hunan)
10 - Wu Tong & China Magpies - 'Blue Little Flower' (Lanhuahua)
11 - Chen Mei-O, Han-Tang Yuefu - 'Outside The Garden' Nanguan (Excerpt)
12 - Hubei Provincial Museum Ensemble - Hubei Chime Bells_ 'Moonlit Night'
13 - Liang Yurong - Cantonese Opera_ 'Ode To Xiao Mingxing' (Excerpt).ogg
14 - Various Artists - Miao Mouth Organs (Guizhou)_ 'Making The Girls Smile'
15 - Quanji - 'Let Us Meet Where The Grass Is Green', Miao Folk Song
16 - Xianxia Society, Shanghai - Jiangnan Teahouse Music_ 'Lao San Liu'
17 - Various Artists - Yi Vocal Polyphony (Yunnan)_ 'Mother's Little Girl'
18 - Li Yatai, Jiangsu - 'In Liuhe Town Lived Old Liu', Chinese 'rap' (Kuaiban)
19 - Tianjin Buddhist Ensemble - Buddhist Music_ Xingdao Zhang (Excerpt)
20 - Quanzhou Marionette Troupe Orchestra - Guo Xian Cao, Puppet Theatre Music
21 - Wang Falan, Bingling - 'Mountain Song', Gansu Folk Song (Hua'er)
22 - Yang Xue, Erhu (Fiddle) Solo - Liu Tianhua_ 'Bird Call On The Mountain'
23 - Wang Jianhua Et Al - 'Havoc In Heaven', For Chinese Percussion (Excerpt)


Compilers

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Double Fish - Hackers (ep2)My One Week(ep3) ( 05 * 67mb)

Zhu Jianhui aka Double Fish is a Chinese artist and musician whose work circulates internationally, his interest in contemporary global culture, hacker aesthetics, and art shapes shapes his practice. In addition to his music, Double Fish founded the independent record label, Reconfiguration Records (www.reconfiguration-records.com) and released the label's first compilation,"The Sound of Silence Project, including artists from mainland China, Hong Kong and Poland.

In October 2005, electronic music label Bedzoo Records pressed Double Fish's first EP1 "inter net" while the Polish label, Audiotong, launched his EP2, "hackers." Other pieces are on the compilation "Shanshui Records Landscape 2" which contains the "Single Hackers (generation 2)." Similarly, the magazine "I Love Rock 'n Roll" enclosed his single, "z6," on volume 32 (2005) and "Experimental No. 1" on volume 15 (2004).Performances include "Improvisational Noiz Play" in Guangzhou, China (2005). More recently Zhu performed "Mini MIDI" at the Beijing MIDI Festival and other solo material at the 3rd 2pi music festival in Hangzhou, China. Professionally, he is working with the director Caofei to compose music and sound effects for the "Pearl River Delta Hero" for the 2nd China Guangzhou Triennial (Nov 2005).



01 - Danger Signal (1:24)
02 - Supernatural Visit (2:41)
03 - Clockwork Toy (2:40)
04 - Hackers (Generation One) (3:57)
05 - Noncasual Attack (3:57)
06 - Liquid Program (2:27)
07 - Electronic Frog (2:00)
08 - Machine Man (2:45)
My One Week
09 - Not White!!!
10 - Interview
11 - Interview Again
12 - Make your own beat
13 - Happy Cat(RMX Com.A)
14 - Galaxy
15 - No Sunday

Double Fish @ Base

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* All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !