I know what you're thinking. What? Kazakhstan?
Where's that? What do they speak there?
Never heard of it.
Well, Kazakhstan is actually the fourth largest country in Asia, and the ninth largest country in the world. Despite the country's prominence on a map, I've found people have never heard of Kazakhstan, can't point it out, or know nothing about it.
Kazakh, the official language, is one of my all-time favorite languages to listen to. The flow of their vowels and consonants make for beautiful, haunting, and as the title of this post says, goosebump inducing songs.
So, here are five songs in a language you probably didn't even know existed:
1. Qar by EQ
EQ is a male duo whose voices fit perfectly together. The song is mesmerizing from the very first note, but the goosebumps come for me as soon as the chorus starts. Those vocals over that instrumental just demand your attention.
Listen here on Spotify, or listen on YouTube by clicking below.
2. Tokyo by Moonlight
Although the title shares a name with a crazy busy city, this song is definitely the opposite. The voices are strong, the transitions are smooth, and the instrumental features a xylophone that flows through its notes like a calm stream.
Sadly, a lot of music from Kazakhstan isn't on Spotify. So make sure to listen to it on YouTube below!
3. Alma by Mad Men
When the second guy starts singing....wooow. He does this awesome technique with his voice where he cuts the syllables short, making a unique sound with the Kazakh language. That part wins for the goosebump moment, but the entire song is chilling and mesmerizing.
Again, this song isn't available on Spotify. Listen on YouTube below :)
4. Қайырлы түн (Kaiyrly Tun) by NINETY ONE
The slowest of the songs listed here, but the most emotional. Pure, raw vocals mixed with some rap make up for this beautiful song from NINETY ONE. Every time I listen, I have to replay the vocals leading up to the second chorus because they're just THAT GOOD.
Listen here on Spotify, or listen on YouTube by clicking below.
5. Жаңбыр Астындағы Би (Janbyr Astyndagy Bi) by Renzo)
This one from Renzo brings in a more American sound with familiar guitar and drums. Despite the rock-ish feel, it's still able to bring chills with a variety of haunting voices.
This one is also not on Spotify, so listen on YouTube below!
Now that you've listened to a few songs from Kazakhstan, you can see how underrated this awesome music is. Go ahead, impress your friends with your knowledge of Kazakh music!
Look forward to more posts featuring music from Kazakhstan.
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