Hitting Australia next week, we catch up with Mongolia's folk rock collective Hanggai.

How did Hanggai come together?

In 2004 Ilchi and Xu Jingchen formed Hanggai. They had started a previous band together when they were about 18, 19 years old and had the same appreciation for traditional Mongolian music. The lineup of Hanggai has changed a bit over the years and players have come from Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang. Everyone has had a similar background in indie music and had come to Beijing to advance careers in indie music. The lineup now is pretty solid and the players are from Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Beijing.

You're labelled as a ‘Chinese Folk Band’; how do you like this descriptor?

Hanggai's music is a fusion of traditional Mongolian music and modern music. Because of this, Hanggai has performed at a vast variety of music festivals, including jazz, pop, rock, folk and metal.

Your first tour of Austalia was back in January, for Sydney Festival; how did your first Australian shows go, and are you looking forward to being back?

We also play in Australia this year at WOMAD, in Adelaide. We have an excellent impression of Australia. The fans in Australia have been very welcoming. We went to the zoo when we were in Australia last and saw some of Australia's unique wildlife, which was an incredible experience for us.

How has Hanggai successfully managed to bring the musical traditions of Mongolia, to not only a contemporary Chinese audience, but the world?

Hanggai has been a faithful proponent of maintaining the traditional roots of Mongolian music. The ways we combine this music with modern musical styles is crucial to the success of each song. The songs we choose to do are songs which have a long history and we follow the unique aspects of each song in making compositional changes. Also, we were very lucky to have met Jerome Williams at Earth Beat.

What has been the reaction to Hanggai’s Chinese Folk music around the world? Have there been any audiences that have surprised you?

Around the world, audiences have been really moved by our music. Often the audience will dance at our shows, and sometimes people have cried. Some people have knelt down in respect at the edge of the stage.

If you weren’t here in Australia for your New Years, what would Hanggai be doing?

If we weren't in Australia, we'd probably get together for a meal. This time we're hoping to catch the New Year fireworks display in Sydney. My uncle and cousins are there, and the band will be spending the holiday with them in Sydney.

(translator's note: for most people here in East Asia, the Western New Year is a less important holiday than the Lunar New Year, Spring Festival, which falls in late January this year - that is the biggest holiday of the year here)

For those that didn't see you earlier this year, what can audiences expect from your performances?

We hope to give the audience an experience of the free and unconstrained nature of Mongolians, the beauty of the four seasons on the grasslands, and the feeling of experiencing life from atop a galloping horse.

Who are some of your favourite bands or musicians?

I listen to a wide range of music, from traditional to folk to rock to metal. I'm a big fan of Bela Fleck, Jane Germain, Yat-Kha and Huun Huur Tu. I really like Dawanggang and Mamer. Of course, the classics of rock and jazz. Too many to list!

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TOUR DATES:
Tuesday 27th to Friday 30th December – Woodford Folk Festival
Saturday 31st December – Peats Ridge Festival
Tuesday 3rd January – The Basement, Sydney
Wednesday 4th January – The Basement, Sydney
Thursday 5th January – Lizottes, Kincumber
Friday 6th January – Adelaide Festival Centre
Saturday 7th January – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Sunday 8th January – Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave
Friday 13th January – Mona Foma, Tasmania