Huun-Huur-Tu

Huun-Huur-Tu

Huun-Huur-Tu is a folk and throat-singing group from Tyva in Russia, formed in 1992. The core original line-up is Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Alexander Bapa, Sayan Bapa and Albert Kuvezin, and the group later continues with a shifting membership that includes Anatoly Kuular, Alexei Saryglar and Andrey Mongush. The group’s name is sometimes written without hyphens and means “Sun Propeller”, a Tuvan term for the shaft of light seen through clouds or through dense trees at certain times of day.

Style and instruments

The group is known for Tuvan throat singing, or khoomei, in which a singer produces a drone and one or more overtones at the same time, creating the effect of multiple notes from a single voice. Its music is rooted in indigenous Tuvan folk traditions and uses instruments such as the igil, khomus, doshpuluur and dünggür. It also occasionally incorporates guitar and electronic elements.

Career

Huun-Huur-Tu begins as the quartet Kungurtuk, formed with the aim of presenting traditional songs from Tuva. After the debut album 60 Horses in my Herd, Albert Kuvezin leaves to form the rock-oriented Yat-Kha and is replaced by Anatoli Kuular, who has previously worked with Kaigal-ool Khovalyg and Kongar-ool Ondar in the Tuva Ensemble. Alexander Bapa, who produces the first two albums, later leaves to focus on production work and is replaced by Alexei Saryglar. In 2003, Kuular departs and Andrey Mongush joins the group.

Current status

The group remains active and is also listed as including Radik Tülüsh among its members. Its work sits within central Asian throat singing and folk music, and it stays closely associated with the vocal and instrumental traditions of Tyva.