New Music Trend: The HU Band
The Rise of Hunnu Rock
In 2016, a group of Mongolian musicians came together to create something the world had never heard before — a powerful fusion of traditional Mongolian music and modern rock. The result? The HU Band and their groundbreaking genre: Hunnu Rock.
A Global Sensation
The HU released their first song in 2016, and it didn’t take long before the world took notice. Their sound is instantly recognizable — blending traditional Mongolian instruments like the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle), tovshuur (two-stringed lute), and tsuur (Mongolian flute) with throat singing and heavy rock influences. This unique blend has captured the attention of audiences worldwide.
Critical Acclaim
Their breakout track “Yuve Yuve Yu” and follow-up “Wolf Totem” quickly went viral. Wolf Totem even reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, and its music video gained millions of views on YouTube.
Reputable rock and metal magazine Revolver featured the band and named their track “Genghis Khan” one of the Top 10 Songs of 2019. Music journalist Ryan Reed described the band’s music video as a breathtaking visual and sonic journey:
“The camera whirs around massive mountains and deep-green forests as four Mongolian men churn out crushing riffs on gleaming, non-rock instruments… The frontman lets out a cavernous bellow that borders on a death-metal growl… balanced out by whistle-like harmonics — an element of traditional throat singing.”
Reed also noted how Wolf Totem “touched a nerve on such a massive international scale.”
Behind the Band
The HU consists of four core members:
Ts. “Gala” Galbadrakh – vocals, morin khuur
B. “Enkush” – morin khuur, throat singing
G. “Jaya” – jaw harp, tsuur, throat singing, flute
N. “Temka” – tovshuur
Though they officially formed The HU in 2016, the members had been collaborating for years prior. Some had over a decade of experience in other bands before joining forces under the guidance of producer Dashdondog “Dashka” Bayarmagnai, who originally envisioned the project.
The Message and the Music
In an interview, Gala explained the band’s vision:
“Our clothing is not exactly old Mongolian — it’s still there, but we’re making it look rock. And for the ‘Yuve Yuve Yu’ video, we traveled over 6,000 miles off-road just to show the world how beautiful Mongolia is. Because of our hard work, people now see that.”
The name “The HU” comes from the Mongolian word “ху”, meaning “human being.” The band describes their music as Hunnu Rock, a blend of various rock subgenres with traditional Mongolian roots.
Debut Album: The Gereg
Their debut album “The Gereg” was released in September 2019 under Eleven Seven Music, home to international rock giants like Motley Crüe, Papa Roach, and Five Finger Death Punch. The HU has cited influences from Tool, Slipknot, Lamb of God, System of a Down, and Korn, yet their sound remains truly one-of-a-kind.
Stay Connected
For music, merch, tour dates, and more about the band, check out their official website:
www.thehuofficial.com
