The sparkling city of Ashgabat
Welcome to Turkmenistan, the oddest and most mysterious of the Stans. East of the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan is a strangely modern and strangely administered nation. Hear some of the classic folks sounds (thanks dutar.com), some freaky prog jazz, hip hop, and more:
The door to hell is inconveniently located in the middle of the Karakum Desert
Aqnazar Alovatov of the Badakhshan Ensemble
Come and explore music you’ve never even dreamed of. Badakhshan beckons only the most intrepid of sonic mountaineers!
Strummin’ on the Kumuz
Where the Caspian sea meets the Caucasus mountains lives the Republic of Dagestan. The most ethnically diverse corner of Russia, Dagestan is a place rarely explored by outsiders and only minimally administered by the national government. As ethnic Russians make up less than 4% of the population, Dagestan is a mix of dozens of different cultures and languages singing and fighting for respect.
The rocky terrain impedes modernization and helps preserve these traditions, but also provides shelter for guerrilla groups, whose drawn-out battles for independence have haunted the region for decades. Here we explore the many colours of Dagestani music, incorporating Central Asian and Middle Eastern melodies with a view to the north and the west. May these myriad rhythms help bring the people together, and make it known to the government that diversity should be celebrated.
Lezgians have learned to levitate in the thin mountain air
The recent history of the Kashmir region is both complex and tragic, yet the music is truly beautiful. This hour of music draws on the many cultures in the region, including the Hindustani classical music of the Kashmir Valley and neighboring Jammu, upbeat Pahari beats from Pakistani-controlled Azad Kashmir, and Tibetan Buddhist spiritual pop of Leh, among other amazing sounds.
Young renegade hip hop freedom fighter MC Kash is also featured – hear his story in this short doc:
Tashi Delek! Welcome to the last Shangri-La, the magical moutain kingdom of Bhutan. Yes, they still have a king – and he is on Facebook. Wedged in the Himalayas between the two most populous nations on Earth, the land of thunder dragons somehow manages to keep a very low profile and a well-preserved cultural identity. Miraculously, television wasn’t legalized in Bhutan until 1999, so they were essentially the last country to leave the real world and be hypnotized by the warm electric glow. Tragic, but inevitable.
Bhutan is so special because it represents the preservation of ancient Tibetan Buddhist culture, now that Tibet has been wiped out by China. Bhutan was united as a nation in the 17th century by runaway Tibetan lama Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, and has since evolved in isolation. Perched safely in cliff-side dzongs, the Bhutanese are one of the very few societies to have successfully resisted occupation from outside powers for their entire history.
Taktsang Palphug Monastery, with ample parking for up to 6 thunder dragons
Until the last few decades, only traditional (really just another word for ‘local’) music existed in Bhutan. All traditional music can be divided into Boedra (Tibetan style) or Zhungdra (developed in Bhutan). This stuff is sacred. And then there’s rock n roll..
Sure, it’s pretty positive stuff. So is everything on the young Thimphu-based record label M-Studio. But where will they be in another 20 years? Death metal thrash dub-step polka? For now, Bhutan teeters the line between ancient depth and innocent modernity. May they retain their uniqueness, and dragons; forever.
Hear the soundscape of Bhutan {{HERE}}
WANDERING RHYTHMS RADIO 