Tjamuku Ngurra: Grandfather's Country

Aboriginal desert reggae-rock has a history dating back to the late-70s, when Central Australian bands such as No Fixed Address and Us Mob paved the way for the Warumpi Band, Coloured Stone and Arnhem Land's mega-successful Yothu Yindi. A mix of basic three-chord electric rock and relaxed Jamaican reggae, the distinctly Aussie desert sound was not only popular in remote indigenous communities, but for a time it even garnered a bit of mainstream radio airplay. However while it's continued to flourish in the communities since those early days, its wider impact has been somewhat muted. But every once in a while a new group breaks through, and the latest is the Tjintu Desert Band.

Tjintu Desert Band hail from the small Aboriginal settlement of Ikuntji (also known as Haasts Bluff), 250km west of Alice Springs. There's one general store, one school, no mobile phones and minimal internet reception. Red earth, rocky hills, hot dry days and gorgeous night skies predominate. Tjintu (pronounced ‘jin-too’) means ‘sunshine’ in the local Luritja language and the band were originally known as Sunshine Reggae Band when they formed in 2002. The group's easy-going desert-reggae style is gently hypnotic, with the quintet's translated Luritja lyrics speaking of relevant local topics – dreamtime stories, elders, country, the weather and impressing girls.