Monday, September 16, 2013

CD Review: Qetiq's 'Rock From Taklamakan Desert'

Qetiq
Rock From Taklamakan Desert
Dreyer Gaido

Uyghur rock music? You bet. This is a compelling, energetic, and unforgettable romp through the rock music of northwest China's Xinjiang province. There is a good combination of electric guitar, bass, drum, and vocals. The vocals are at times akin to Pearl Jam's lead singer. However, the music is not as hard as Pearl Jam. There are a plethora of traditional instruments in the mix, which includes dutar, citar, darbouka, riqq, and daf. There is even a little throat-singing on "Qara Jorgha," which plaintively accompanies the sweet sounds of the dutar. The emotive "Ag Bayan" is a great vocal and instrumental ballad - no matter what language it may be in. These songs come from a Uyghur and Kazakh perspective. Each track contains beautiful melodies and instrumentation that cannot be missed or ignored. Anyone interested in contemporary rock music with a traditional twist from China's northern deserts will love this one. ~ Matthew Forss

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