Ögbelerim – Music for My Ancestors

Batsükh Dorj comes from a continuous but little known and recorded tradition of Tuvan music in the far north west of Mongolia. During French musician, promotor and musicologist Johanni Curtet’s many field trips to Mongolia he eventually came across Dorj through his teacher, the late Papizan Badar. Music for My Ancestors is a result of the collaboration between Dorj and Curtet. Dorj’s various styles of his wonderful khöömei throat singing are prominent on eight of the 12 tracks. He accompanies himself on either solo or multi-tracked igil (two-string fiddle) and three-string doshpuluur fretless lute. ‘Kaldak-khamar’, a satirical song about a mountain pass being difficult to travel through by car, is an excellent example of how sympathetically Curtet’s classical guitar works with the traditional instruments. In places he also backs Dorj’s Tuvan khöömei with his own Mongolian khöömii. The igil, shoor (end-blown flute) with simultaneous drone voice, and khomus (metal jaw harp) all feature on short solo tracks. The atmospheric ‘Bainak’ at nearly eight minutes showcases Dorj’s plaintive gentle singing voice as well as his mastery of khöömei, while the well-produced ‘dry’ recording gives the release an honest intimacy.