The Hu (also credited briefly as "The Hu Band") is a folk metal band from Mongolia that blends heavy metal, traditional Mongolian instruments & throat singing (the ancient art of khoomei). Their first two videos (“Yuve Yuve Yu” and “Wolf Totem”) went viral garnering the band over 18 million views.
Founded in 2016 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia by their producer 'Dashka' (Dashdondog Bayarmagnai), along with members Gala, Jaya, Temka, and Enkush. The four musicians attended the Mongolian State Music and Dance Conservatory, where they studied throat singing and traditional Mongolian music. After years of working with local pop and rock groups who simply imitated western sounds, singer Bayarmagnai "Dashka" Dashdondog formed the band as their producer and songwriter, selecting students from the conservatory, with a desire to try something different, and in a music genre (heavy metal) that was previously banned (until 1992) during the long communist era (from 1924 to 1990) in their country.
The band’s name "The Hu", is the Mongolian root word for human being. They call their style “Hunnu Rock", inspired by the Hunnu, an ancient Mongolian empire (known as The Huns in Western culture). Some of the band’s lyrics include old Mongolian war cries and poetry.
The traditional Mongolian instruments used by the group include the Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle, traditional Mongolian bowed string instrument), the Tsuur (traditional Mongolian end-blown flute), the Tumur Khuur (jaw harp) & the Tovshuur (traditional Mongolian lute), as well as a new patented instrument, inspired/derived from the Tovshuur, they called "The Nature". The Hu innovated by giving the instrument a new design ("bow and arrow-shaped") & a new sound by the addition of one more string. "The Nature" & all the traditional instruments used by the group were made by P.Baigaljav (П.БАЙГАЛЖАВ), a master craftsman of traditional Mongolian instruments.
Lineup:
Gala (Galbadrakh Tsendbaatar) / Lead Throat Singer & Morin Khuur
Enkush (Enkhsaikhan Batjargal) / Lead Morin Khuur & Throat Singer
Jaya (Nyamjantsan Galsanjamts) / Tumur Khuur, Tsuur, Flute, and Throat Singer
Temka (Temuulen Naranbaatar) / Tovshuur ("The Nature")
Dashka (Dashdondog Bayarmagnai) / Co-composer, Producer, Mastermind
Touring members:
Unu (Unumunkh Maralkhuu) / Percussion, Tumur Khuur, backing vocals
Jambaa (Jambaldorj Ayush) / Lead Guitar, backing vocals
Davaa (Nyamdavaa Byambaa) / Bass Guitar, backing vocals
Odko (Odbayar Gantumur) / Drums
Past members:
Batkhuu / Bass Guitar (replaced by Davaa)