Album marks folk group's return with message of hope

Jidi, vice-chairman of the Chinese Writers' Association, is a Yi poet whose poems run parallel with the abundant and mysterious images and emotions from the Yi culture and traditions. In his poems, Jidi connects the world of the sun, stars, rivers, ancestors and gods with the present time and space in a seemingly surreal way. He also projects the overall imagination and concerns about the destiny of mankind and the nation in his own poetry. His poems have been translated into nearly 400-odd languages and dialects.

Unlike traditional music, this album focuses on poems that are visual in the poet's early works.

"Poetry provides us with infinite thinking potential. We are standing on the shoulders of poetry and going further to feel the development of a nation. Music adds an atmosphere that allows us to realize poetry comes from ancient times, but avant-garde at the same time," says the lead singer Qubi Habu.

Using a mixture of Chinese and Western musical instruments-rattles, mouth strings, pipa, French trumpets and hand discs, the band made experimental attempts in singing as well by adding a rap song in one of the new singles Yi People. Rap, that is, not in the traditional sense, but as if whispering in a breathy voice.