This is the debut album for the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, based in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. The masters of Yolŋu funk released their album ‘Sing Your Own Song’ – YAA DJAMARRKULI (pronounced: Yah JAHM-arr-koo-lee) in July 2024.

Led by Andrew Gurruwiwi – a blind, keytar-wielding, radio presenter and Yolngu elder from Yirrkala- the band serve up their own brand of Yolngu Funk, creating super dance jams sung in the Yolgnu Matha language.

It’s about making our own sound, our own music,” Gurruwiwi says “Every time when we play music, we listen for the big sound – then we change it. Do it a different way. Different style. Whether it’s the bass, or the keyboard, or the guitar or the bongo, we change it ‘round, until we can get the right beat, the right rhythm. Our sound.”

One track ‘Yaa Djamarrkuḻi’ is testament to the calibre and musical excellence of the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band. In constant pursuit of freshness and fun, they enlisted the help of some friends: the song was co-produced with Andrew Grimes and global instrumentalist Julian BelBachir, with additional instrumentation from West African guitar icon Moussa Diakite, violin from QVLN, and the horn section from Kiwi Dub-fusionists Subtribe. The result is a vibrant and joyous melding of contemporary Yolŋu and rhythms, so infectious that you can’t help dancing!