Reggae Dancer

There’s a long and proud tradition of Australian Aboriginal rock-reggae groups, from both remote desert regions and urban cities, that dates back to 1980s with bands like No Fixed Address, Warumpi Band and Blekbala Mujik. With the Central Desert and Arnhem Land regions still churning out a steady stream of new young acts in that genre, the latest making their mark is Eastern Arrernte Band, a group from Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa), a remote Northern Territory community 80km from Alice Springs. Singing in both English and traditional Arrernte language, the lyrics on their debut album speak of country and a sense of place, along with difficult social issues, such as loneliness and serving jail time.

With classic rock guitar riffs and double-keyboard reggae runs, the hit single ‘Prison Cell’ highlights that Aboriginal people are hugely over-represented in Australia’s criminal justice system, making up over 80% of the incarcerated Territory population. The tracks ‘Facebook’ and ‘Telephone’ address popular youth pastimes, while both ‘Lonely Boy’ and ‘Arrernte Girl’ utilise fast-paced rhythms and wild guitar solos. There may not be a lot of musical variety on display here, but Eastern Arrernte Band holds true to a time-proven style, and Reggae Dancer should indicate whether their music can find a wider audience beyond their local community.