Mixing traditional music with modern genres is a risky move that can cause addiction if carried out in the right way. It is precisely what we have already experienced with Rosalía, who fuses flamenco with other genres such as trap and reggaeton. In the case of Otyken, the mix blends Indigenous Siberian music with the electronic genre.
Each song represents an echo of the customs of indigenous people, with spiritual melodies and rhythms, which allows the hearer to be transported to a distant age and very faraway places. Overtone singing, along with the hypnotic sound of traditional instruments like the vargan, also known as Jew’s harp, and the Shaman drums, makes the hearer feel a connection with the pieces independently of understanding their lyrics.
For Otyken, the fact of promoting their music worldwide not only means a reflection of their culture and customs but also the preservation of their languages by singing in indigenous tongues such as Khakas and Chulym, the latter of which is on the verge of extinction.
“It’s like we were reliving them (the traditions) any time we sing our songs, because they’ve always been in our hearts, and these traditions and stories will never die”.
Author: Paula García Salido
Translation: Blanca Jiménez
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