Nomadic chant

Anda Union will start its national tour after its two-month tour in the United States. The band includes Biligbaatar, Saikhannakhaa, Nars and Urgen (above).

Their common goal was to find inspiration from old and forgotten songs about the grasslands, horses, the history of Inner Mongolia and folk heroes, while creating a new form of music based on traditional sounds.

The Mongolian word anda is used for "siblings".

In 2006, after winning in the ethnic music category at a tough youth competition, the band got more opportunities at the national level.

The band's latest album, Homeland, recorded in Beijing in 2014 and produced in Canada with help from Grammy-winning recording engineer Richard King, has renewed some interest in the largely forgotten nomadic life.

"Rapid urbanization, pollution and the exploitation of the grasslands have posed a challenge for the traditional Mongolian lifestyle and culture," says Nars. "We want to keep the essence of our culture alive through music."

The title song, Jangar, in the album Homeland reflects a yearning for the grasslands and is inspired by a Mongolian epic. The song was written by the band's morin khuur player and khoomei singer Urgen. The British magazine Songlines named the album among the best of 2016.