Echoes of the Steppe

 

I clicked one video. Now I feel like I should own a falcon.

It started with a YouTube suggestion. You know the type: halfway down the algorithm rabbit hole, sandwiched between a raccoon washing cotton candy and a guy making knives out of frozen soup. One thumbnail caught my eye—men in warrior gear, a horse-head fiddle (a what?), and a title I couldn’t pronounce: Uuhai – Khar Khulz.

I have always been fascinated with Mongolia, since childhood. And metal music. This combined the two, so I clicked. And then it happened.

Drums like thunder on an open plain. Strings that sounded like battle cries wrapped in silk. And that voice—throat singing so deep it realigned my spine. Halfway through the song, I wasn’t sure if I should start a revolution or bake bread for my ancestors.

Tom walked in mid-performance. I expected questions. Maybe concern. Instead, he stood frozen like a startled deer in a snowstorm—wide-eyed, speechless, and clearly rethinking his entire relationship with music. That’s the Uuhai effect: it bypasses the brain and goes straight for the soul. No translation needed.

Now, we’re both obsessed. We’ve learned that “Uuhai” isn’t just a band—it’s a summoning. These musicians blend traditional Mongolian instruments and throat singing with the force of metal in a way that feels ritualistic. You don’t just listen to them. You join the stampede.

I'm two songs away from ordering a morin khuur and renaming my cat “Warrior Spirit of the Steppe.” She remains unimpressed.

As for me, I love to research (Tom calls me the over-researcher), so here are a couple of fun facts:

1. What is an “Uuhai" anyway? It isn’t just a name.

It’s an ancient Mongolian exclamation—something between a battle cry, a chant, and a cosmic hoo-rah. Traditionally shouted by groups in unison, it was meant to stir courage, unify intent, or summon collective energy. Basically: it’s what you yell when things are about to get real. I might have to bookmark that when publishing my next book.

2. Meet the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle). Yes, it really has a carved horse head. Yes, the strings were traditionally made from horsehair. And yes, it can make your spine tingle.

So if you're craving something new, ancient, and likely to awaken the part of you that still believes in fire and drum circles—click that Uuhai link. Just know that once you do, your algorithm—and maybe your life—will never be the same.

And if you hear hoofbeats in the distance?
Don’t worry. That’s just your new theme song.