Throat singing metal, rock and techno
The oldest sound of the steppe has found a new home on rock stages and dance floors.
Quick answer
Throat singing mixes naturally with heavy music. The deep kharkhiraa growl sits right next to a distorted guitar, the steady drone works like a bass line, and the galloping rhythms of steppe music drive rock and techno. Since the 2010s, Mongolian rock bands and electronic producers have made it a sound heard around the world.
Why it works
- The growl: deep kharkhiraa sounds as heavy as any metal voice
- The drone: one steady low note, like a bass or a synth pad
- The gallop: a horse-riding rhythm that drums can push even harder
- The fiddle: the morin khuur can play riffs, like a guitar
Mongolian rock and metal
Rock has been played in Mongolia for decades. In the 2010s, bands began mixing throat singing, the horsehead fiddle and war-drum rhythms with heavy guitars. Their videos reached many millions of views and made Mongolian rock famous worldwide.
Throat singing techno
Electronic producers love the drone too. Throat singing over a techno beat is one of the fastest-growing throat-singing searches online, and new remixes keep spreading on TikTok and YouTube.
UYANA's dark folk-rock
UYANA mixes throat-singing drones, shaman drums and a haunting female voice with dark folk-rock. Khar Chono (Black Wolf) is her rock anthem.
Turn it up
The loudest songs on UYANA's debut album.
Övög Deedes · The Ancestors
An epic tribute to the ancestors who stood on this land a thousand years ago.
Read the lyrics and meaning of Övög Deedes
Quick questions
Why does throat singing sound good with metal?
Because the deep growl and the steady drone already sound heavy. Put guitars and drums under them and you get a sound that feels ancient and modern at once.
What is throat singing techno?
Electronic dance music built around throat-singing drones and overtones, usually over a steady, pounding beat.
Which UYANA song is the heaviest?
Khar Chono (Black Wolf), her rock anthem. A thousand horses gallop, the earth shakes, and nobody runs.