301: Music from the Mountains of Bhutan, by Sonam Dorji

Sonam Dorji (Bhutan)
Music from the Mountains of Bhutan (2013)
8 tracks, 43 minutes
Spotify ∙ iTunes

Did I choose this album just because it represents the music of Bhutan? Yes. Do I actually know anything about the music of Bhutan? Very little. Is it a Good Album nonetheless? Of course.

Bhutan seems like a fascinating place. It’s a small country whose land is entirely part of the Himalayas and has the all stunning scenery that brings; its unique architecture is similarly beautiful and in keeping with the country’s natural wonders. It is one of the world’s most peaceful countries and is well-known for its focus on ‘Gross National Happiness’ rather than Gross National Product. It’s home to only 800,000 people.

It sounds like the perfect place to visit, but unless you’re from India, Bangladesh or the Maldives, it isn’t that easy. Tourists are only permitted to enter with a fully pre-booked trip that consists of a guided tour – the cheapest available is US$200 per day. Ouch. That does include all accommodation, food and activities, and there is a good reason for it – tourism is kept to a minimum to protect the country’s unique culture and breath-taking environment. Naturally, however, this restriction means that it is a difficult place to get to, and very few people get to experience it. All of this is basically a long-winded way of pointing out that if you want to hear Bhutanese music, you’re going to have to rely on recordings.

Even then, recordings are hard to come by. There are only a handful of albums of Bhutanese music available internationally, and even then, a fair number of those focus on the music of the exiled Tibetan population. This album by Sonam Dorji, the founder and director of the Music of Bhutan Research Centre, is one of very few recordings of non-sacred Bhutanese music.

The music itself is a mix of traditional folk songs, original pieces written in the traditional style and lu-saar (‘new songs’ written in the contemporary style). The way that the pentatonic scales interact with the rhythms of the languages and the melodic ornamentations give the songs a sound as distinctive as the rest of Bhutanese culture, an intriguing mix of Tibetan, Chinese and Indian sound-worlds and (you know I love it) a real bluesy bend to a lot of the melodies. Featuring just Dorji on vocals and drangyen – a traditional lute with three double-coursed strings that dates from the eighth century – and, on one track, Atta Yeshi on bamboo flute, the sound of this album is sparse and calm, an atmosphere promoted by the heavy reverb applied to it all.

Bhutan is a place I truly want to visit sometime in my life, although it seems very unlikely any time soon (but feel 100% to donate to the cause!). Until then, at least you and I can listen to the beautiful and evocative sounds of Sonam Dorji and his drangyen, who can take us to those peaceful mountaintops with our ears.