Gurrumul Posthumous Album ‘Banbirrngu – The Orchestral Sessions’
The ethereal voice of Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu has left an unforgettable mark on both Australian and global audiences. And today the world can hear his new posthumous album, Banbirrngu – The Orchestral Sessions, Gurrumul’s first to be delivered in spatial audio.
With hauntingly beautiful songs like the album’s title track “Banbirrngu,” “Bapa,” “Wiyathul” and “Amazing Grace,” the album will hold a special place in the canon of Australia’s most important voice.
A blind Gumatj man from Arnhem Land in Australia’s remote north, Gurrumul was one of the most renowned Indigenous performers in modern Australian history. Since his passing in 2017, he has left behind a profound musical and cultural legacy
Over the years his songs, predominantly sung in his native Yolngu languages, have earned multiple ARIA awards and international acclaim for their distinctively ethereal beauty. His power to blend cultures through his art has forever changed the possibilities for creators, and Banbirrngu – The Orchestral Sessions is an opportunity to pause and look back.
The latest addition to his collection, Banbirrngu – The Orchestral Sessions, is produced by Michael Hohnen, arranged by Erkki Veltheim and recorded in Prague by the Prague Metropolitan Orchestra conducted by Jan Chalupecký.
Hohnen was a close friend of Gurrumul’s, as well as his double bass player and producer. He says the record has a unique significance in today’s context, explaining, “Banbirrngu is a python, but also, a cycle of life. And in this case, the new Banbirrngu album is a cycle of Gurrumul’s solo musical life and his early offerings to us.
“Through the meticulous process of subtle and delicate arrangements and orchestrations by close friend Erkki Veltheim, and the new engineering treatment of Christian Scallan, revisiting Gurrumul’s voice in Banbirrngu has opened a new chapter in the story of ‘Australia’s Most Important Artist’, and provides a resounding and peaceful antidote or escape to the constant media noise that currently fills almost every moment of our waking lives.
“We hope that his voice and importance has been honoured on this new album as we revisit and re-present, his much-loved, delicate, powerful and enigmatic voice, to the wider mainstream world for all to experience. There has been no other like Gurrumul, and I doubt there will ever be again”
These new orchestral recordings reinterpret some of Gurrumul’s most treasured and well-known songs, featuring a wide array of instrumentation from minimalist to lush arrangements; each piece carefully conveying a blend of nuance, restraint, and purpose. The orchestra introduces a unique emotional depth to the performances, providing richness and a dynamic range that an acoustic trio cannot replicate and championing his recorded vocals like never before.
Gurrumul’s experience with orchestras spanned over ten years, from an early performance at Carnegie Hall in New York to collaborations with most of the symphony orchestras in Australia. He was a master of collaboration, having worked with world class names like Flume, Sting, Missy Higgins, Thelma Plum, Paul Kelly and A.B. Original, and cherished the rich and complex support an orchestra provided for his distinctive voice.
Throughout his career, Gurrumul’s music has been used across therapy and education, settling the minds and souls of children and adults alike. Whether it’s kindergartens, hospitals or simply homes across Australia, something about Gurrumul’s serene voice has the power to settle and heal, and these new recordings offer a chance for the next generation to experience these powerful vocals in a contemporary context.
Banbirrngu – The Orchestral Sessions is available to stream and purchase today on digital, vinyl and CD formats.
BANBIRRNGU – THE ORCHESTRAL SESSIONS IS OUT NOW VIA SKINNYFISH MUSIC & UNIVERSAL MUSIC AUSTRALIA
| Banbirrngu – The Orchestral Sessions Tracklist |
1. Banbirrngu
2. Baru
3. Amazing Grace
4. Bapa
5. Wiyathul
6. Djilawurr
7. Djarrimirri
8. Gurrumul History
9. Wukun
10. Gathu Mawula
