Classic and popular recommendations in ethnic music
Ethnic music refers to traditional folk music.
It often features traditional, uncommon instruments from a given region, making it an especially recommended genre for those who play instruments.
This playlist is full of exotic charm that reflects the culture of each area!
If you find a track you like, be sure to go hear it performed live in its homeland.
Recommended classic and popular ethnic music (1–10)
Kalimba ManKepin Supiāsu
This is a contemporary piece that uses the kalimba, a traditional African instrument.
The kalimba, also known as a “thumb piano,” is said to be the origin of the music box.
These days, it can sometimes be found in variety stores, and the number of enthusiasts in Japan is growing.
You Raise Me UpKerutikku Ūman
There are many bands that incorporate elements of traditional Celtic music into pop, and Celtic Woman is one of them.
Their featured song, “You Raise Me Up,” has been used in figure skating and commercials, making it widely known in Japan.
KuKuMamadi Keita
This is a performance using the West African drum called the djembe (also spelled jenbe or jinbe).
It’s a small, single-headed drum played by striking the head with the hands.
In recent years, it has gained many enthusiasts in Japan as well, and it’s not uncommon to see people practicing or performing in parks.
Harvest MoonNerugui Naranbaturafu
This is a piece featuring khöömii, a traditional Mongolian vocal technique.
Khöömii is said to involve singing with low and high tones produced simultaneously.
There are no lyrics; listeners are meant to savor the poignant melodies and the distinctive resonance unique to khöömii.
It’s a piece that pairs beautifully with the endlessly stretching grasslands and the blue sky.
El Condor Pasa (The Condor Flies Away)gurūpu andesu
It’s also known through Simon & Garfunkel’s cover, but it’s a flagship song of South American folklore.
This is an instrumental version—without vocals—performed with instruments unique to South American folk music, such as the quena, charango, and zampoña.
Pilentze SingsBurugarian Voisu
This is unforgettable music performed by a Bulgarian women’s choir.
Its distinctive qualities include a chest-voice, forceful singing style reminiscent of Japanese folk songs, and the beauty of dissonance created by using many adjacent tones.
It has a mysterious resonance that stirs a sense of unease.
Seventh Month Festival ~Shichigwachi-bushi~Ryūkyū budan
There are many kinds of music that have been passed down from the Ryukyu Kingdom to present-day Okinawa.
The “Eisa” introduced here was originally festival music performed during the Obon season to welcome ancestral spirits, and it is called “Eisa” after the refrains used in the chants.
Participants parade lively with drums, singing, sanshin, and dancing.
The songs vary by region.