Floating in Vibration How a Portland Cab Driver Became a World-Class Tuvan Throat Singer Named Soriah By Katherine Yeske Taylor
A champion Tuvan throat singer makeup, he dines on shares the stage with the world’s most cele- jerk chicken wings brated gothic rock star. This sounds like the and beer as he talks start of a Surrealist film. Yet this is exactly freely about his life what happened when legendary Bauhaus in Portland, Oregon, frontman Peter Murphy invited Soriah to where he moved be the opening act during Murphy’s San 23 years ago (from Francisco and New York City residency California, where he shows this year. was born and raised). At one of the New York shows, in His real name is August, Soriah grabs everyone’s attention Enrique Ugalde, and as soon as he comes onstage: with his face when he isn’t per- painted white and the rest of him almost forming, he works hidden under an elaborate outfit involv- as a taxi driver. He ing a huge hat and voluminous robes, he is chatty and upbeat. looks like a cross between a sorcerer and In other words, he a shaman. A murmur passes through the seems almost opposite to his otherworldly on his website at soriah.wordpress.com). audience when he lets loose with almost onstage persona. He has also collaborated with many unearthly guttural Tuvan throat singing, The obvious question: how on earth does rock artists, including Modest Mouse, and the supernatural-sounding overtone someone with his background become an Perry Farrell, GWAR, Psychic TV, Trance singing (where he achieves the seemingly expert Tuvan throat singer? He smiles at to the Sun, and fellow Portlanders The impossible feat of singing two different the question. “It’s a very non-conventional Dandy Warhols. He says electronica music notes simultaneously). Then he brings type of endeavor,” he admits. Soon after blends particularly well with throat singing out Tuvan instruments most people here his move to Portland, a friend gave him a because “a lot of these synthesizer sounds have likely never seen nor heard before mix tape featuring a Tuvan throat singer; he are actually mimicking sounds that happen (an igil, a two-stringed bowed instrument; was instantly enthralled and began trying in nature,” and reflecting nature is also the a kengergee, a large drum; and a doshpu- to figure out how to do it. But things really ultimate goal with throat singing. luur, a kind of banjo). On some songs, started to click when, in 2005, he attended Perhaps Soriah’s most significant collabo- he adheres to Tuvan tradition, while on a throat singing workshop in California ration, though, came when Bauhaus bassist others, he introduces electronica, trance, and began studying under native master David J approached him after a show in industrial or goth elements, using a looper teachers. In 2008, Soriah participated in a 2011. They’ve been good friends ever since, effects pedal. It’s probably safe to say that major competition in Tuva, the birthplace performing together both in concert and on Soriah may be the most uncommon per- of throat singing (located in the Siberian recordings. Through this connection, Soriah former in the city tonight. region of Russia). He won third place in met Peter Murphy, who then invited him While some audience members seem a main category – an almost unheard-of to open his residency shows. Soriah says his taken aback by this enigmatic sound and accomplishment for a foreigner. Since then, work and theirs pair well together because vision (and a couple of people even mutter he has competed regularly, and is now the “I’m using a dark aesthetic, darker sound, questions about whether what he’s doing is highest ranking non-native Tuvan throat which is in common musically with their “cultural appropriation” before they make singer in the world. material. And David and Peter recognize a pointed exit), most people stay and watch He took the stage name “Soriah” and the healthy quality of darkness – embracing Soriah’s full set with a kind of silent, mes- began performing across the U.S., Europe, it. You don’t learn anything by shunning it merized intensity. Japan, and Mexico. Over the years, he altogether. You have to face it. And that’s So it’s strange, four days later, to sit down has released six studio albums, eight live what I really want to do, is to show people with Soriah in Wild Willy’s, a pirate-themed albums, and several singles on compilations that you don’t have to be afraid of the dark- bar on Bleecker Street. In a t-shirt, without (available on his Bandcamp page or via links ness, you can work through it and it can be “I want it to be transportive - a deep, profound experience for people.”
\\WWW.StomPAndStAmmEr.Com•PAGE11\\ a transformative experience. By now, it’s no longer just throat sing- own style, this intense, profound thing that “What I try to do is create a hypnotic ing that draws him back to Tuva again and nobody else does, where I utilize my uvula. state with the throat singing, with the again: he also has a five-year-old son there, What’s really great is that now [because of frequencies that I do. That makes our con- named Enriquito, born to a Tuvan woman. winning], this is legitimized in the canon sciousness a little bit more pliable. And I try It is likely that Enriquito will also become of throat singing. Now that I won, I have to inject positive healing aspects into that. a throat singer – and not just because of all these people trying to mimic what I do, So in a way, it’s a shamanic cleansing with Soriah’s influence. “His great-grandfather which is great – it’s my contribution to the every performance. It’s coaxing out the was the very first Tuvan [throat singing] form. That blows me away.” darkness and wishing it away. It’s meant to superstar; he toured around Russia. So Being back in Tuva, especially after doing be a healing endeavor.” he’s got that lineage even without me. But so well in this latest competition, seems to In addition to his performances, Soriah whenever I’m with him, I sing to him all have put him in a reflective mood about his – now the master – has taken on students the time.” craft. “The thing about the human voice of his own. He conducts lessons via Skype, Given his family ties to Tuva, as well as is, it’s so vast. There’s no end to the pos- or in workshops. He says his group of stu- demonstrably immersing himself in the sibilities of different timbres and tones and dents is small but highly dedicated. He is Tuvan traditions and current way of life, he sounds you can make. It’s incredible. adamant that everyone – male and female shrugs off the question about whether his “[When] people see me in clubs and the- – has the ability to do this. “We all have Soriah persona verges on cultural appropria- aters, I’m bringing the experience that you the physiology in order to make these tion. “Tuvans view me as one of their own,” can find here in Tuva, there. I want it to be sounds. It’s just about stopping the mind he says firmly. transportive – a deep, profound experience and listening, and then you compose your Three weeks after the Wicked Willy’s din- for people. Going into these ecstatic states environment back to yourself. If some- ner, Soriah speaks on the phone from Kyzyl, and bringing them out onstage in front of one had difficulties learning to do this, it the capital of Tuva. He says his rental apart- an audience is an extraordinary thing. My would be psychosomatic, it wouldn’t be ment is very nice, with a lovely view of the ultimate goal is to become transparent, to physiological.” Yenisei River. He sounds relaxed and happy disappear. I can forget myself in the perfor- Busy as he’s been with all of his various as he relays the news that since arriving mance, and just relay the divine quality of projects, though, he has still repeatedly there, he competed in the “Khöömei in the the moment and transport everybody to a returned to Tuva, renting an apartment Center of Asia” throat singing contest and place where we transcend our bodies and and staying for months at a time. In fact, won for “Best Performance of Kargyraa,” our minds and are floating in vibration. later tonight, he will head to the airport to which is the low guttural droning style of That’s a really healing thing.” undertake his 11th trip there, even though throat singing. It’s yet another prestigious He sounds content and peaceful. If he he admits it is a very expensive and ardu- award to add to his list, but he’s extra excit- can be that way, despite the challenges that ous journey: it involves a flight to Moscow, ed about this one because it validates a new come with dividing his life between two another flight to Abakan, Siberia, then a six- technique that he created himself. very different worlds, perhaps he really is hour car trip. “I think I won because I developed my onto something. fl
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