Bulgarian folk music is unique for its complex harmonies and highly irregular rhythms. This rhythms are also called uneven beats. Examples of such beats are 5/8, 7/8, 8/8, 9/8 and 11/8. Bulgarian folk music inspired and was used by musicians like Kate Bush and George Harrison. A popular Rhodopa folksong, "Izlel e Delyu Haidutin," sung by Valya Balkanska, was recorded on a gold record and sent as a message to outer space on the American spacecraft Voyager in 1977
Bulgarian vocal style has a unique throat quality, while the singers themselves are renowned for their range. Vocalists from some regions sing a polyphonic harmony, that is full of dissonance and tone clusters and is elaborated with whoops, vibrato, and slides. Ambassadors of the Bulgarian music all over the world are "Mystery of Bulgarian Voices" and "Trio Bulgarka".
Musical instruments include gaida (bagpipe), kaval (flute), zurla (a windflute), tambura (guitar-like), gadulka (violin-like), and tapan (large two-sided drum).
Dances have complex steps matching the rhythm, and are often fast. Most are circle-dances or line dances called horo; but some are done singly or in pairs, like the 7/8 dance Rachenitsa.
