The highly emotional ululating, wailing, and lamenting, along with heavy strumming and percussion, on this amazing Smithsonian Folkways Music of Central Asia entry will stir the spirits of even the most academic-minded musical explorers. Songs about love, betrayal, God, and living a good life are presented by singers from the Qaraqalpakstan and Kazakhstan regions, certainly under-represented cultures in the world music scene.
As with the other entries in the series, the disc is accompanied by an informative 48-page booklet plus a DVD with an introduction to the Folkways Central Asia series.