Huun-Huur-Tu are a music group from Tuva, a Russian federative republic situated on the Mongolia-Russia border. Their music includes throat singing, in which the singers sing both a note and its overtones, thus producing two or three notes simultaneously. The overtone may sound like a flute, whistle or bird, but is solely a product of the human voice.
The group primarily use native Tuvan instruments such as the igil, khomus (Tuvan jaw harp), doshpuluur, and dünggür (shaman drum). However, in recent years, the group have begun to selectively incorporate Western instruments, such as the guitar. While the thrust of Huun-Huur-Tu’s music is fundamentally indigenous Tuvan folk music, they also experiment with incorporating Western instruments and electronic music.
The khoomei quartet Kunggurtug was founded in 1992 by Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, brothers Alexander and Sayan Bapa, and Albert Kuvezin. Not long afterwards, the group changed its name to Huun-Huur-Tu, meaning “sunbeams” (literally “sun propeller”). The focus of their music was traditional Tuvan folk songs, frequently featuring imagery of the Tuvan steppe or of horses.
The ensemble released its first album, 60 Horses In My Herd, the following year. The album was recorded at studios in London and Mill Valley, California. By the time recording began for the follow-up, Kuvezin had left the group to form the more rock-oriented Yat-Kha. Kuvezin was replaced by Anatoli Kuular, who had previously worked with Khovalyg and Kongar-ool Ondar as part of the Tuva Ensemble. The new line-up recorded The Orphan’s Lament in New York and Moscow, and released it in 1994.
A third album, If I’d Been Born An Eagle, recorded in the Netherlands, followed in 1997. In early 1999, the group released its fourth album, Where Young Grass Grows. Huun-Huur-Tu participated in the 2000 BBC Music Live event. The following year, the group released their first live album. In 2003, Kuular quit the group and was replaced by Andrey Mongush, an experienced teacher of khöömei and Tuvan instruments. Mongush’s tenure with the group was short and in 2005 he was replaced by Radik Tülüsh, formerly of Yat-Kha fame.
