Chants diphoniques mongols / Mongolian Diphonic Songs

Mongolian throat singing (höömii) is a traditional overtone-singing art in which a vocalist produces a low, sustained fundamental drone while shaping the mouth and throat to amplify specific overtones, making two or more pitches audible at once. The result is an otherworldly, flute-like melody floating above a deep, stable tone. Rooted in the nomadic herding culture of Mongolia, höömii is closely tied to the natural soundscape of the steppe—wind, rivers, and animal calls—often imitated in timbre and phrasing. Distinct Mongolian styles include kharkhiraa (a growling undertone beneath the drone) and isgeree khöömii (a whistling-overtone style), among others categorized by the primary resonance area (throat, chest, palate, nasal cavity). Performances range from intimate solo pieces to ensemble settings with morin khuur (horsehead fiddle) and tovshuur (lute), and appear in ritual, celebratory, and concert contexts. The practice emphasizes breath control, resonance, and subtly shifting vowel shapes rather than conventional harmonic progressions.