King Stingray

The debut album from this hot young Arnhem Land band follows on from the success of both their live show, and their four included singles released since 2020 – ‘Hey Wanhaka’, ‘Get Me Out’, ‘Milkumana’ and ‘Camp Dog’.

Hailed as Best New Act by several Aussie publications, King Stingray is based in the Indigenous Northern Territory community of Yirrkala, and the quintet features both Yolngu (Aboriginal) and balanda (non-Indigenous) members who all grew up together. With close family links to the founders of veteran Aboriginal group Yothu Yindi, frontman Yirrnga Yunupingu and guitarist Roy Kellaway are joined by mates Dimathaya Burarrwanga on yidaki (didgeridoo), rhythm guitar and backing vocals, bassist Campbell Messer and drummer Lewis Stiles. With a thrashy ‘Yolngu surf-rock’ style reminiscent of the much-loved early desert-based Warumpi Band, but with a decidedly 21st-century edge, King Stingray pump their way through ten tracks of raw, high-energy fun. The songs sung in traditional Yolngu Matha language – like ‘Lupa’, ‘Milkumana’ and ‘Malk Mirri Wayin’ – work best, while the closing bilingual track ‘Life Goes On’ finally calms down the album’s somewhat unrelenting pace. Definitely aimed at a younger audience, it’ll be worth keeping an ear on this strong band in coming years.