Ratja Yaliyali

Resident on Milingimbi Island, off the north coast of Australia's Arnhem Land, Stanley Gawurra Gaykamangu is a cousin of celebrated blind Aboriginal singer Gurrumul Yunupingu. But beyond both having lovely Yolngu voices, any direct musical comparison is unfair.

Singing in his own Gupapuyngu language, on his debut album Gawurra (pronounced ‘gow-rra’) weaves traditional indigenous songlines with contemporary stylings, clearly identifying his ancestral lineage on ‘Bundurr’ (Story of Myself) by systematically naming his family's clan groups. With lyrics full of animal spirits, plants and coastal sunsets, his natural themes successfully create a palpable sense of place. The title-track (translated as ‘Vine of Love’) celebrates connectiveness, while the sparse ‘Guwak’ (Little Black Bird) mimics birdsong. Elsewhere laid-back folk-country inflections on ‘Gurrupurungu Ngarra’ (Poor Man) comfortably contrast with the controlled rock power-chords of ‘Burala’ (Diving Duck). The second disc features ten short buyalamarr (traditional) Yolngu songs, with Gawarru's voice accompanied only by yidaki (didgeridoo) and clap sticks. Nicely produced by local songwriter and producer Broadwing (aka Ben Allen), it's only the overly-lush inclusion of strings on some tracks that slightly detracts from this album's solid authenticity. This is a fine introduction to Gawurra's emerging talent.