‘Australia’s most important voice’, indigenous artist Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, will release his third studio album, The Gospel Album, on 31st July 2015.
The inspiration for this 10-song long player was a dedication to Gurrumul’s mother and aunts, who brought Gurrumul up with songs and lullabies from the church at Elcho Island.
As a small boy Gurrumul was not only influenced by the traditional music of his clan but by the gospel music he heard every Sunday at the local Methodist church. Gurrumul’s The Gospel Album is a re-imagining of the spiritual songs that came to north-east Arnhem Land via Christian missionaries.
In a musical setting that will be familiar to fans of Gurrumul’s music, comes a uniquely indigenous approach to gospel songs with an expanded sound that combines new hymns, and reimagined gospel songs of his Elcho Island community. Produced by long-time collaborator, Skinnyfish Music’s Michael Hohnen, each song was presented by Gurrumul as a sketch in a traditional remote Northern Territory church gospel style. Michael and the band played with feels, styles, genres and arrangements to produce something that it truly breathtaking.
Gurrumul’s life is music and in the studio he feels at home, inspired and energetic. He loves quality, and The Gospel Album is a fitting companion to his previous platinum-selling albums – 2009’s Gurrumul and its 2011 follow-up Rrakala.
With the completion of The Gospel Album recording sessions, Gurrumul embarked on a US tour through April and early May, playing five dates from New York to California, including two dates in New Orleans generating glowing reviews.
Gurrumul The Gospel Album released Friday 31st July on Skinnyfish Music/MVKA.
