Pioneering music

"This kind of thinking creates a new language, one that communicates across time."

Tan debuted his work titled Shanghai Semiconductor Receiver at the 2017 Shanghai concert. The music piece tells the story of how people on the Mongolian prairies heard sounds of the outside world through the Shanghai-made semiconductor radio in the 1960s.

Hanggai rearranged this song and has recorded it for the new album.

"Khoomei, or 'throat singing' (a vocal technique used by musicians of the Mongolian ethnic group), the piano, violin, cello, and morin khuur (traditional Mongolian horse-head fiddle) encounter each other" in the new album, says Ilchi, the founder of Hanggai, in Beijing, who uses his throat sounds as the main vocal contribution.

"The band is rooted in Mongolian music, but we are open to different music (styles). It was very inspiring for the band to play with symphony orchestras."

Hanggai, the Mongolian term to describe a place of beautiful pastures, mountains and rivers, was formed in Beijing in 2004. Now, with eight members, including vocalist Ilchi, morin khuur player Batubagen and vocalist-guitarist Yilalata, the band has staged more than 500 shows in over 60 countries and is among the most recognized Chinese bands globally.

Ilchi says making the new album seemed challenging at first.