World Tour #21 Australia - NAIDOC 2

WORLD TOUR #21 AUSTRALIA - NAIDOC WEEK 2026

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OUR PLAYLIST

This week we celebrate NAIDOC Week (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Organising Committee) with our updated annual playlist that highlights the diverse excellence of Australia's indigenous musicianship.

Albums included in this year's playlist, drawn from new new releases in the past few years, still fresh in our minds, include:

Andrew Gurruwiwi Band - "Sing Your Own Song"

Archie Roach - Songs From The Kitchen Table"

Baker Boy - "DJANDJAY",

Barkaa - "Big Tidda",

Bumpy - "Kanana"

Charlie Nees Braces - "NYAA WA"

Christine Anu - "Waku - Minaral A Minalay"

Cooee - "Messengers"

Crown and Country - "Crown and Country"

DOBBY - "Warrangu; River Story"

Electric Fields x Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - "Live In Concert"

Emily Wurramara - "NARA"

Emma Donovan - "Till My Song Is Done"

Emma Donovan - "Take Me To The River"

Ernest Buckle - Mungoona "Mungoona Buckle (EP)"

Gurrumul - "Banbirrngu - The Orchestral Sessions"

ICONYX - "Blak On Trak"

Jalgany - "Family"

Jeeyun Lwoy - "Corey Boy Child"

Jessica Mauboy - "Yours Forever"

Jungaji - "Betting On Blak"

Kallum ungulu - "Ngiya Ga Ngiya"

Kankawa Nagarra - "Wirlmarni"

Kee'ahn - "for me, for you x"

King Stingray - "For The Dreams"

Kobie Dee - "Chapter 26",

Kutcha Edwards, Cash Savage and the Last Drinks - "Live At The Forum II"

Kutcha Edwards,Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Brett Kelly - "Warta-Kiki: "Come Together"

Maggie Tra - "Dancing Untethered"

Maggie Tra - "Cyclo Theory"

Miss Kaninna - "Kaninna"

Mitch Tambo - "Tambo Jamz, Vol. 1"

Mitch Tambo - "I Am Me"

Mo'Ju, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - "Double J Live at the Wireless - Hamer Hall Melbourne 2023"

Naomi Pigram - "Otherside Of Town"

Ngaiire, Sydney Symphony Orchestra - "Live at the Sydney Opera House"

Ngulmiya - "Catalunya"

Ngulmiya - "Ngulmia"

Radical Son - "Bilambiyal"

Ripple Effect Band - "Mayawa"

Ruby Mae - "Baby"

South Summit - "Run It Back"

South Summit - "The Bliss"

Stellar Moon - "Phases"

Thelma Plum - "I'm Sorry, Now Say It Back"

WAARI - "MUKI"

Wildfire Manwurrk - "The Next Future"

William Barton and Omega Ensemble - "Gift - Our Breath Of Life"

William Barton & Joseph Tawadros - "History Has A Heartbreak"

Yirinda - "Yirinda"

Zipporah - "Naungu urui (EP)"

3% - "KILL THE DEAD"

There's a wide range of approaches from the spiritual to the profane, folk to hip-hop, country to urban. Select your favourite artists, discover new treasures or shuffle-play and enjoy!

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OUR ALBUM REVIEWS

Otherside of Town

NAOMI PIGRAM

Released 3 July 2026

Pigram Productions

*****

A trove of saltwater country-folk that honors her family's legendary musical lineage while carving a deeply personal, emotionally raw path of her own.

Naomi Pigram is an established singer, songwriter, and performing artist embedded in the distinct cultural landscape of Broome, Western Australia. As a member of the iconic Pigram family, her creative DNA is directly linked to the architecture of the "Broome Sound." Starting her career at just 15 in the Bran Nue Dae cabarets and NIDA training, Pigram has spent decades blending performance art with intensive community service work in the Kimberley region. Her music is a vivid reflection of this life experience, balancing profound Indigenous storytelling, community connection, and rich cultural values with the foundational roots-music heritage of a family that has contributed immeasurably to her hometown.

Otherside of Town, is a by-popular-demand re-release of Naomi's 2019 album, that until now has never been available on streaming platforms. With it, Pigram delivers a stunning tapestry of acoustic warmth and stark lyrical honesty. The album beautifully encapsulates the unique musical melting pot of Broome, overlaying traditional Indigenous storytelling structures with the poignant lyricism of folk music, all driven home by authentic country-rock instrumentation. From sweeping lap-steel guitar accents to steady, dust-worn country & western cadences, the instrumentation provides a rich canvas for Pigram's commanding, soulful vocal delivery.

The narrative arc of the record explores themes of identity, struggle, resilience, and belonging. Tracks like the title track "Otherside of Town" and the emotionally gripping "Hurts To Be Me" tackle complex social realities and personal vulnerabilities with an uncompromising eye. Meanwhile, pieces like "Mamma Can't Sleep", "Daddy's Little Girl" and "Mr Bourkeshire" demonstrate her sharp storytelling ability, capturing specific vignettes of Kimberley life.

This brilliant, layered body of work not only gathers songs from Pigram's past and flies the flag of Broome's musical heritage, but confirms Naomi Pigram as a premier contemporary voice in Australian roots music.

And why not head to Broome in September 2006 for what they call Wirlburu season. The westerly winds return and nights are warmer and little corellas feed on the ripening acacia pods - and Naomi and Bart Pigram will be restaging their sellout show "Raised In Big Spirit Country" at the Goolarri Amphitheatre.

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I Am Me

MITCH TAMBO

Released 26 June 2026

Walanbaa Music

****-

A vibrant, high-energy children's record that masterfully fuses contemporary pop-dance beats with Gamilaraay language and proud First Nations storytelling.

Mitch Tambo is one of Australia’s most recognizable and dynamic First Nations entertainers. A proud Gamilaraay man, Tambo first captured the nation's heart on Australia’s Got Talent with his powerful blend of traditional songline elements, didgeridoo, and modern pop sensibilities. Over years of intensive touring across schools and community events, performing to over 100,000 children, he recognized a crucial gap in the market for premium-production, culturally rich children's music. Following the success of his 2025 companion picture book of the same name, I Am Me marks his triumphant evolution into a premier family music creator, using language to foster pride, inclusion, and cultural preservation.

On I Am Me, Mitch Tambo brings infectious joy and world-class production to the family music landscape. The 16-track project acts as a sonic bridge, cleverly overlaying reworked childhood classics with vibrant original compositions that introduce young listeners to Gamilaraay language. Opening with the energetic call-to-action "Welcome To The Party", the album establishes a safe, rhythmic environment where kids learn through movement.

The tracking thrives on creative diversity. Animal-themed tracks like "Guda (Koala)" and "Five Little Dhinawan" pair upbeat pop-hip-hop arrangements with interactive lyricism, making vocabulary acquisition completely effortless. Meanwhile, collaborations like the country-fused "Out In The Country" (featuring The Outlawz) highlight Tambo's broad stylistic reach, grounding the record in themes of connection to land and community. Even familiar standards like "Hokey Pokey" are injected with modern dance grooves, transforming the conventionally conservative children's nursery song into a high-production celebration of contemporary Indigenous identity.

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Run It Back

SOUTH SUMMIT

Released 12 June 2026

South Summit / G.Y.R.O.

****-

A feels-good sophomore release that supplements breezy West Coast grooves with heartfelt storytelling and undeniable organic chemistry.

Hailing from Western Australia's Pilbara region, South Summit have quickly emerged as one of the country’s most compelling indie-rock acts. Formed in 2020, the five-piece features a rich tapestry of cultural backgrounds, including Kamilaroi, Torres Strait Islander, and Māori heritage. This diverse lineage helps shape their distinctive musical identity, blending classic indie-pop melodies with deeply ingrained reggae rhythms and soul undertones. Rather than leaning on overt political messaging, the band functions as quiet achievers, subtly weaving their heritage into the physical warmth and easygoing cadence of their grooves.

Their sophomore album, Run It Back, represents a profound creative leap forward as the band confidently showcase their signature fusion of crisp soft rock and "gentle reggae" aesthetics. Reaming up with producer Dave Parkin, the album moves fluidly between emotional weight and rhythmic levity. Opener "Heartless" sets the tone - a poignant relationship retrospective written during a down-south retreat in Yallingup, offering a bittersweet lyrical narrative that pairs heartbreak with an uplifting, danceable tempo.

The record’s emotional core expands through its standout, most-played tracks. "We Are" pivots into a celebration of community, utilizing a buoyant West Coast groove inspired by vintage hip-hop arrangements to emphasize the grounding power of close friendships. Meanwhile, "Top Of The Hill" serves as a soaring anthem written in the immediate aftermath of a prior release party, capturing the euphoric highs of their artistic trajectory.

Throughout, the band's cultural roots are felt in the deep pocket of the basslines and the generous, inclusive space of their arrangements, defining them as masters of understated, comforting roots-rock.

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Take Me To The River

EMMA DONOVAN

Released 8 May 2026

Emma Donovan / Civilians

*****

A towering, culturally resonant soul masterpiece that brilliantly reimagines foundational Black American anthems through a powerful lens of First Nations healing.

Emma Donovan is one of Australia’s most celebrated vocal heavyweights, wielding her aching, expansive voice to chronicle her lived experiences as a proud Gumbaynggirr and Noongar woman. From her early beginnings as a teenager touring with the acoustic trio Stiff Gins to her multi-album, critically acclaimed tenure fronting the gritty funk outfit The Putbacks, Donovan has spent over two decades cementing herself as a vital cultural force. Moving smoothly into her solo era following Follow The Sun (2024) and 2024's Til My Song Is Done, her artistry remains deeply rooted in church music, community, and the timeless oral traditions of her family lineage.

Now, on the magnificent Take Me To The River, Emma Donovan delivers much more than a tasteful, immaculate covers record; she constructs a profound, multidisciplinary monument to the music that first inspired her to sing. Intertwining the work of African American civil rights icons with her own history, Donovan and an elite backing band - featuring guitarist Ben Edgar and bassist David Symes - reimagine these classics with an organic, country-gospel warmth that breathes brand-new life into the global soul songbook.

The record astutely establishes its overarching theme of water, cleansing, and ancestral survival by bookending the entire ten-track set with intentional companion pieces. It surges to life with the opening title track, "Take Me to the River." Stripping away the sleekness of Al Green's 1974 original, Donovan reinterprets the groove as a joyful, localized family gathering, culminating in a breathtaking Gumbaynggirr language coda that roots the track firmly in the sacred rivers of her own Country.

From there, the narrative flows seamlessly through stunning, politically charged readings of Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand The Rain" and Aretha Franklin's "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man," and a timely cover of Pop Staple's anthem of resistance "Freedom's Highway" before arriving at its majestic emotional peak - an inspired, deeply moving interpretation of the late Archie Roach gospel singalong "Wash My Soul In The River's Flow" (which first appeared on his 2012 masterpiece "Into The Bloodstream"). Donovan reinvents this song as a tender, sacred hymn, allowing her rich, velvety vocals to carry the weight of spiritual redemption and eternal connection.

There's more...

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Live At Forum II

KUTCHA EDWARDS

CASH SAVAGE AND THE LAST DRINKS

Released 14 April 2026

Kutcha Edwards

****-

A powerful live document of cultural exchange and emotional intensity, as songlines, post-punk energy and collective storytelling converge into a deeply affecting and singular statement.

One of Australia’s most important First Nations voices, Kutcha Edwards is a Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta and Nari Nari songman whose work has long combined music, activism and personal testimony shaped by his experience as a member of the Stolen Generations. His songs carry both historical weight and lived truth, grounded in community, survival and connection to Country.

Opposite him, Cash Savage and the Last Drinks have built a reputation as one of Naarm/Melbourne’s most emotionally direct live acts, their performances described as overwhelming, raw and communal, blending post-punk, blues and rock into a cathartic force.

This collaboration, originally conceived as a one-night-only performance at Melbourne's iconic venue Forum II, brings these two worlds together, with the band reinterpreting Edwards’ songs in real time.

Live at Forum II captures something rare: not just a performance, but a meeting of musical languages.

At its core is Edwards’ voice - measured, resonant and deeply rooted in storytelling. His songs do not rush; they unfold, carrying narrative and cultural meaning that demands space. Around him, Cash Savage and the Last Drinks reshape that space. Their usual sonic weight - dense guitars, driving rhythm, surging dynamics - is recalibrated to serve the material, but never diminished.

It's a dramatic contrast to Edwards' previous album "Warta-Kiki: Come Together", his recent collaboration with Melbourne Youth Orchestra, but Edwards' passionate storytelling is at the heart of each.

The result this time is tension of the best kind. Edwards’ grounded delivery meets the band’s emotional volatility, creating arrangements that feel both anchored and expansive. Songs that may have originally leaned toward folk or blues are reimagined with a rawer, more confrontational edge - amplifying their urgency without overwhelming their intent.

By all accounts of the original performance, there was a feeling that “the band locked in” - a shared momentum that transformed reinterpretation into something closer to communion and is captured in the recording. The audience presence is palpable but never distracting, as Edwards interacts with his humor, forcefulness and sincerity: a dialogue built on respect, risk-taking and the willingness to let songs evolve in real time.

Kutcha Edwards Home Page

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Warta-kiki Come Together

KUTCHA EDWARDS, MELBOURNE YOUTH ORCHESTRA, BRETT KELLY

Released 15 February 2026

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

****-

The iconic Australian First Nations song-man's poignant, mesmeric music has always contained heartfelt storytelling, anthemic lyricism and positive ambition. Now, the grandeur within his songs is fully revealed, as they are illuminated from within by new orchestral arrangements

A landmark collaboration between legendary Australian songman Kutcha Edwards and the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, Warta-Kiki brings together First Nations songlines and symphonic music, performed by MYO’s young musicians under the direction of Music Director Brett Kelly, with new orchestrations by leading Australian composers.

For Kutcha Edwards, the collaboration marked an unexpected and deeply resonant turning point. ‘In my sixty cycles around the sun, I had never attended an orchestral concert, let alone contemplated recording an album with an orchestra – until now,’ Edwards says. ‘This album, Warta-Kiki (a Mutti Mutti word for ‘Come together’), is proof that perceptions can change.’

The seeds of the collaboration were planted in 2022, following a performance by Edwards at Monash University, where he met MYO CEO Dorian Jones and conductor Brett Kelly. In early 2023, more than eighty young orchestral musicians came together with Edwards to create the nine songs that form Warta-Kiki. ‘This was an opportunity for me to share with them the depth of the Songline within each song,’ he said. ‘It’s the passing of knowledge that is important to me – the dropping of the pebble in the imaginary pond where the young ones determine the outcome of the ripple.
The premiere performance later that year was met with an emotional response from audience and performers alike, and in 2025, the artists reunited at ABC Studios in Southbank, Melbourne, to record the work for release.

Kutcha Edwards Home Page

Melbourne Youth Orchestra

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Messengers

COOEE

Released 13 February 2026

Cooee

****-

A meeting of multidisciplinary talents transforms celebrated First Nations poetry into atmospheric, indie-folk.

Cooee is the serendipitous, fiercely independent union of two remarkably versatile Australian creators: proud Gunai woman Kirli Saunders (OAM) and multi-instrumentalist Mark Chester Harding. Saunders is a highly decorated literary figure - an award-winning author of nine books, a playwright, and an accomplished visual artist. Harding, by contrast, is an established music producer and illustrator who had actually stepped away from songwriting before this project reignited his practice. The duo, who even co-create their own multi-medium cover art and co-author children’s literature (Beyond the Shore), met unexpectedly while playing in Jack River's backing band for triple j's Like a Version. That performance marked the first time Saunders had ever sung in public, sparking a profound collaboration that blends poetry, illustration, and production.

On Messengers, Cooee channels the literal meaning of their Gundungurra-derived name - "to call across valleys" - delivering a debut record that is a living ecosystem of language, lineage, and sound. The album's genesis is unique: Harding took minimalist portraits and prose from Saunders' celebrated poetry books (Kindred and Returning) and seamlessly slotted them into his textured, acoustic soundscapes. The production mantra was deliberately raw and intimate, successfully honoring the "on-the-couch" warmth of their early demos while elevating the arrangements with engineering by Simon Berckelman and legendary mixer Paul McKercher.

The record stands out for its exceptional collaborative depth, drawing an incredible community of talent into its orbit. On the hypnotic "Daisies" (adapted from Saunders' poem Planting), the duo crafts a meditative tribute to returning to the land, beautifully elevated by Eric Avery's stirring violin and Allan Kumpulainen's grounding drums. Tracks like "Shadows" and the viral, hauntingly catchy "Yadingji" showcase how fluidly Saunders' free-verse cadence adapts to melody, interspersed with vital First Nations language, spoken word elements, and the soaring presence of the Mudjingaal Yangamba women's choir.

Messengers is a triumphant, self-managed feat - an offering of hope, peace, and absolute creative agency.

Naungu urui (EP)

ZIPPORAH

Released 6 February 2026

Zipporah

****-

An astonishingly assured debut in modern neo-soul that beautifully honors Torres Strait heritage in a fierce, independent new voice.

ZIPPORAH (Zipporah Corser-Anu) is a rising Australian R&B and neo-soul powerhouse descending from the Samu and Suy people of Saibai Island in Zenadh Kes (the traditional name for the Torres Strait). Born into a revered three-generation musical lineage, and surrounded by the artistry of her mother Christine Anu and grandmother, ZIPPORAH inherits a deep devotion to song. Her debut EP title translates to "Songbird" in Kalaw Kawaw Ya, her grandmother's language.

Naungu urui is an astonishingly self-assured 5-track statement of intent. Collaborating with ARIA-winning producers Finbar Stuart and Nikodimos, ZIPPORAH weaves a rich sonic tapestry where lush jazz flutes, vibrant brass, smooth basslines meet her striking, velvet vocal delivery . By merging early-2000s R&B, jazz-infused instrumentals, and indigenous cultural identity, ZIPPORAH's music seems both timely and timeless, a conjunction likely to propel her to a the absolute vanguard of Australia's flourishing First Nations and Pacifica contemporary music landscape.

The EP brilliantly navigates the spectrum of moods and human relationships, showcasing an artist already able to reach deep within herself and express herself in universal terms. Opener "Some Typa Way" presents a study of self-examination, overcoming a manipulative, long-distance relationship and self-doubt; the Sade-like "Say It Again" pleads for affirmation but "Consequences" is firmer "Don't try me, Don't Try me with that shit". Next,"Cycles" stands out for its patient build from semi-spoken words into a soaring anthem of self-actualization, declaring:"...break the chains...we are bigger than this", and the deeply moving finale "Crying on my shoulder" addresses trauma with stunning vulnerability.

By gracefully embedding the sounds of her Zenadh Kes roots into contemporary soul, ZIPPORAH has delivered an intimate, essential record that proves she has everything it takes to achieve global heights.

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NEW INDIGENOUS ALBUMS - 2025 REVIEWS

Catalunya

NGULMIYA

Released 29 October 2026

Bapa Gajah

*****

A monumental cross-cultural masterpiece where the ancient songlines of Arnhem Land meet the fiery, virtuosic soul of Catalan flamenco.

Grant Ngulmiya Nundhirribala is a revered ritual songman, cultural leader, and the 2025 Northern Territory Australian of the Year. Hailing from the remote community of Numbulwar in East Arnhem Land, Ngulmiya belongs to the Nundhirribala clan and sings the sacred manikay (songlines) of the Nunggubuyu people. As a custodian of these ancient ceremonial traditions, his artistry carries immense spiritual responsibility. Throughout his career, Ngulmiya has acted as a global cultural ambassador, bridging vast geographical divides by collaborating with international ensembles - ranging from the Budapest Art Orchestra to Indian classical masters, and most recently, master musicians in Spain.

On Catalunya, Ngulmiya reimagines his profound, award-winning debut material through an exquisite, radically intimate acoustic lens. Recorded live at the Centre Artesà Tradicionàrius in Barcelona, the album drops the cinematic orchestral sweeps of his prior work to feature a raw, direct dialogue between Ngulmiya’s towering vocals and the exceptional flamenco guitar playing of Spanish virtuoso Pau Figueres, supported by Francis Diatschenko and bassist Anthony Gray. The result is a breathtaking musical intersection where the deep, resonant cadences of Indigenous Australian ceremony find a natural kinship with the passionate, rhythmic syncopation of Catalan folk structures.

The album's narrative arc of Catalunya is deeply tethered to country, kin, and ancestral lore. Through standout tracks like "Gabalandhurra", "Migidawun", and "Manila", Ngulmiya utilizes his authoritative voice to recount ancient histories of the Gulf of Carpentaria, including historic interactions between First Nations people and Macassan traders. The title track version of "Dhararri" glows with an organic warmth, striping the music down to its absolute spiritual essence. Rather than feeling like a forced fusion, the album functions as a sacred conversation; Figueres' flamenco flourishes bend respectfully around the unwavering gravity of Ngulmiya's Nunggubuyu language, cementing this record as an absolute triumph of global creative agency.

Australian Of The Year Awards

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Gift - Our Breath of Life

(After Unungkati Yantatja)

WILLIAM BARTON, OMEGA ENSEMBLE

Released 10 October 2025

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

****-

A 12-part, ceremonial suite in which Barton elevates the yidaki’s breath into a communal liturgy - music as offering, memory and reclamation.

Gift - Our Breath of Life (After Unungkati Yantatja) is another milestone in the monumental creative journey of Australian musician and composer William Barton - a work of singular, imaginative vision and collaboration that is shaped by his deep connection to Country, his mastery of the didgeridoo, and his ongoing dialogue between tradition and contemporary composition. Barton has long been a bridge-builder between worlds, collaborating across classical, experimental, and Indigenous musical forms. His early yidaki (didgeridoo) soloist work for Queensland Symphony Orchestra from 1998 (aged 17) and recordings such as Peter Sculthorpe's Songs of Sea and Sky (2004), Requiem (2006), Sean O'Boyle's Riversymphony (2007) have developed into a career in which he has proudly carried the sacred, ancient instrument into a wide range of musical settings. Almost single-handedly, this has elevated global understanding of the yidaki's capabilities and serves as an inspiring exemplar of respectful cultural exchange.
Gift - Our Breath of Life (After Unungkati Yantatja) was commissioned by Omega Ensemble and recorded with Barton and the chamber group as a multi-section work in twelve parts. The piece is conceived as an ode to breath - the first and last inhale that links us to one another - and is dedicated in part to family memory and those lost to illness.

Barton frames the yidaki at the centre of a chamber soundworld that draws on orchestral colour, choral chant and minimal electronic shading; he explicitly references Indigenous language and concepts in the title and narrative, linking the composition to the dance work Unungkati Yantatja (One With the Other) for Sydney Dance Company. The music functions as both ceremony and score: intimate, ritualised and interconnected.

Presented in twelve concise movements. The music evokes "the awakening moments of the dawning of time, sunlight reflective upon the great southern land". It unfolds as a sequence of breathing exercises for an entire community. Barton’s yidaki is the constant - a primal drone that suggests wind, lung and story - while strings, winds and subtle electronics shape foreground and horizon. Barton balances intimacy with ceremony: the gestures are economical but emotionally potent, each part functioning as a pulse in a larger ritual. Less about virtuoso display than about giving, Gift - Our Breath of Life (After Unungkati Yantatja) is a dignified, heartfelt offering that lingers like a held breath.

William Barton Home Page

DJANDJAY

BAKER BOY

Released 10 October 2025

Island Records

*****

A triumphant assertion of culture, identity and sonic evolution bridging the personal and political with uncontained energy.

Yolŋu rapper, dancer and provocateur Baker Boy (Danzal Baker OAM) first erupted onto the Australian scene with Gela (2021), winning Album of the Year at the ARIAs and emerging as a powerhouse voice for Indigenous youth and broader society alike.

Raised between Arnhem Land and Melbourne, Baker flows in Yolŋu Matha, English and Burarra, telling stories of community, culture, defiance and joy.

With DJANDJAY he adds a new chapter: grounded in tradition, enraged at injustice, his music still built for movement - dancefloor and social. He holds his ground as both a mainstream artist and a First Nations spear-carrier.

From the five singles released between March and October 2025 - “Peacekeeper”, “Freak Out”, “Lightning”, “Thick Skin”, “Running Low” - through to the full set, DJANDJAY proves Baker Boy equal to the challenge of the platform he built with his debut album. Named after his late grandmother and the Yolŋu octopus-spirit guide, the album’s title signals legacy and progress.

Musically, he pushes further than Gela. Production is sharper, the tone more urgent. Tracks such as “War Cry” and "Peacekeeper" hit with martial brass and snare-driven urgency; “Thick Skin” (feat. Thelma Plum, Emma Donovan, Kee'ahn and Jada Weazel) reacts to the 2023 Voice referendum defeat with blistering honesty; “Running Low” is a weariness anthem about road life and community sacrifice. Baker rides flows that are at once cheered, incensed and dignified. He speaks directly to a mainstream public with the urgency once held by his Yolŋu predecessors Yothu Yindi, making the cultural import clear: he is not only celebrating identity - he’s demanding recognition.

Occasionally the dense guest list and style-shifts distract from coherence, yet the emotional weight and polished execution make this his most formidable work to date.

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NYAA WA

CHARLIE NEEDS BRACES

Released 20 February 2025

Charlie Needs Braces

****-

NYAA WA pulses with vibrant rhythms and evocative storytelling, as Charlie Needs Braces seamlessly fuses Indigenous heritage with contemporary pop, crafting an album that's both enlightening and irresistibly danceable.

Charlie Needs Braces is the musical project of Charlie Woods, a proud GuriNgai woman and direct descendant of Bungaree and Matora. Based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia, Woods utilizes live looping, vocals, and trumpet to create a unique sound that blends contemporary electronic pop with Indigenous language and storytelling. Her music emphasizes environmental conservation and cultural preservation.

NYAA WA, meaning "take care" in the GuriNgai language, is Charlie Needs Braces' sophomore album - the follow-up to Saltwater People (2023).

The album opens with "Dyarrubin," a track that underscores the importance of protecting and caring for Country. Throughout the album, Woods combines samples, vocals, and trumpet to craft a sound that is both modern and deeply rooted in Aboriginal folklore.

Tracks like "This Land" and "Woy Woy" highlight her commitment to environmental themes, urging listeners to preserve sacred sites and natural habitats.

The album's production is characterized by its danceable rhythms and mood-lifting melodies, drawing comparisons to artists like Björk for its modern psychedelic pop sensibilities.

NYAA WA serves as a testament to Woods' ability to intertwine cultural narratives with contemporary music, offering a refreshing and socially conscious listening experience.

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NEW INDIGENOUS ALBUMS - 2024 REVIEWS

Live In Concert

ELECTRIC FIELDS

MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Released 6 December 2024

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

*****

An awe-inspiring symphonic merging of pulsing electronic pop and ancient Anangu language, enhanced by epic orchestral grandeur.

Electric Fields is the ground-breaking South Australian electronic duo consisting of Yankunytjatjara vocalist Zaachariaha Fielding and producer-composer Michael Ross. Renowned for their innovative fusion of contemporary synth-pop and traditional First Nations languages, the duo has become an internationally celebrated force, representing Australia at Eurovision 2024.

For this monumental live recording, they partner with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO), one of Australia’s premier orchestral institutions. Orchestrated with breathtaking precision, this collaboration translates the band's bedroom-born electronic beats into sweeping acoustic arrangements, showcasing a profound cross-cultural dialogue between the ancient desert sands and the classical concert stage.

Recorded live at Hamer Hall, Live in Concert captures an extraordinary, high-energy meeting of two distinct musical worlds, as the MSO’s rich brass, soaring strings, and organic percussion weave seamlessly through Michael Ross’s modern electronic foundations. Zaachariaha Fielding’s transcendent vocals anchor the performance; his delivery in Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara carries immense emotional weight, particularly on the striking "Anpuru Maau Kutjpa" and the delicate "Tjitji Lullaby."

Rather than diluting the duo's signature energy, the orchestra amplifies it. The symphonic transformation of their club anthem "2000 and Whatever" feels massive, while the euphoric closer "Don't You Worry" showcases the exact moment the traditional concert audience spontaneously stood up to dance.

Winning Best Independent Classical Album at the Australian Independent Record Labels Association's AIR Awards, this live record stands as a landmark document of modern Australian expression.

Electric Fields Official

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Live In Concert

ELECTRIC FIELDS

MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Released 6 December 2024

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

*****

An awe-inspiring symphonic merging of pulsing electronic pop and ancient Anangu language, enhanced by epic orchestral grandeur.

Winning Best Independent Classical Album at the Australian Independent Record Labels Association's AIR Awards, this live record stands as a landmark document of modern Australian expression.

Electric Fields Official

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Eleanor Jawuringali

ELEANOR JAWURLNGALI

Released 29 November 2024

Eleanor Juwurlngali

*****

An ethereal, deeply grounded tapestry woven with ancestral language and haunting cello, carrying remote Northern Territory stories to distant ears.

Eleanor Jawurlngali Dixon is a Mudburra and Garrawa woman from Marlinja, a remote Northern Territory community situated halfway between Alice Springs and Darwin. Her lineage runs deep through Australian music as a foundational member of the critically acclaimed all-female collective Kardajala Kirridarra and the father-daughter duo Rayella. Moving into her solo career, Jawurlngali embraces a stark, highly immersive sonic language.

Collaborating with Mick Turner of Dirty Three and cellist Stephanie Arnold, her work commands attention on national festival stages, bridging ancient storytelling with avant-garde Australian instrumentation.

This self-titled debut EP is a profound exploration of deep listening and sonic minimalism. Jawurlngali’s vocals are transcendent, drifting effortlessly between English lyrics and traditional Mudburra and Garrawa languages. The sparse instrumentation gives her voice immense breathing room; Stephanie Arnold’s electric cello acts as a secondary narrator, providing a somber, majestic undercurrent that mimics the expansive landscape of the Northern Territory. Tracks like her cover of folk classic "Sinnerman" (famously covered by The Weavers and Nina Simone) and her own composition, "S.P.I.R.I.T." highlight this deliberate pacing, where silences carry as much weight as the notes played. Turner's subtle touch ensures the arrangements remain unburdened, allowing the ancient spirit of the music to guide the narrative.

It is an extraordinary piece of contemporary Indigenous expression that feels entirely timeless, capturing the duality of isolation and interconnectedness with exquisite clarity.

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The Bliss

SOUTH SUMMIT

Released 8 November 2024

Virgin Music Australia

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The Bliss captures the band’s journey, blending intricate lyricism with bold soundscapes. As lead vocalist Zaya Reuben describes; embracing vulnerability and growth.

Formed in early 2020, the Boorloo/Perth group quickly established themselves with their organic blend of rock, reggae, and hip-hop, earning multiple five-star reviews on triple j Unearthed. From the start, they knew they had something special, and their debut album was a milestone they were determined to perfect.

South Summit experimented with over 60 demos before narrowing it down to 12 tracks with the help of producer Dave Parkin. Known to the group as "the sixth member of the band" and "a wizard," Parkin's influence was pivotal.

Recording "and basically living" at Blackbird Sound Studio for a year and a half allowed the band to immerse themselves fully in the creative process. Extending from just the music, this time at Blackbird sounded prolific to their friendship as well, as the band recalled backyard songwriting sessions with acoustic guitars and beers, or taking breaks to grab "the best steak and cheese pie down the road from the studio".

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For The Dreams

KING STINGRAY

Released 8 November 2024

King Stingray Civilians Cooking Vinyl

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"The Northern Territory band follow up their award-winning debut with another instant classic full of catchy hooks, massive choruses and good vibes" The Guardian

King Stingray are a four piece Yolŋu surf-rock band from Yirrkala North-East Arnhem Land, Australia. Creating a genre of their own in Yolŋu surf-rock, the band merge ancient indigenous melodies with a fresh new sound. It is the follow-up of the iconic band Yothu Yindi - King Stingray are the children of the iconic Australian band Yothu Yindi

In its five star review, The Guardian posed the question that attaches to any band's sophomore album "How do you follow up an instant classic?". They observed "This was the challenge faced by King Stingray, the self-described Yolŋu surf-rock group from Yirrkala in north-east Arnhem Land, whose self-titled 2022 debut sounded more like a greatest hits collection than a first album. It deservedly won the Australian Music prize".

Their assessment - "Thankfully, the band hasn’t overthought things. Their answer to the above question is simple: make another one. For the Dreams may as well be titled King Stingray II. The themes are practically identical: the joys of being on country (and getting back to it), slowing down, chilling out. The wind, the sun, the rain, the moon, the tides.

In that sense, there is little development from their debut, musically or lyrically. King Stingray have simply stuck to what they’re already exceptional at. For the Dreams teems with hooks, the choruses are massive and the sound is universally bright, up-tempo and uplifting. And there are no bad vibes, anywhere".

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Corey Boy Child

JEEYUEN LWOY

Released 7 October 2024

Jeeyuen Lwoy

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Jeeyeun Lwoy's nine track album"Corey Boy Child" is a heartbreakingly moving eulogy for the artist's deceased young son and an inspirational testament to a father's love and faith.

Uploading this set of previously unreleased songs to Triplej's Unearthed channel in October/November 2024, nearly 20 years since their recording, Lwoy wrote:

"Hi my name is Jeeyuen I'm getting a bit long in the tooth these day 🙂But Back in the early 1990s to the early 2000s I was in a few different bands up in the top end of Western Australia.

Back in 1992 I was the lead singer of heavy rock band Silhoutte. Our 5 mins of fame was playing at the first Stompem Ground charity event aired by ABC up in Broome Western Australia. But yeah up until the early 2000s I played in a few different bands.

In 2005 I recorded a an album called Corey Boychild but never released it, It was to close to my heart at the time as lot of the songs were written as a form of healing for me. The album has pretty much sad songs to do with loss of Love as you will hear if you take the time to listen. Its been over 20yrs since they were written. And I hope they give comfort to whoever hears them.

The album Corey Boy Child was recorded in redbank plains, in the basement of Michael Travers back in 2004. And Sound engineered, mixed by Ben Glatzer, Revolver studio Morley W.A."

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Bilambiyal

RADICAL SON

Released 12 July 2024

Wantok Music

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A commanding, deeply moving fusion of soul, reggae, and spoken word that ties personal development to ancestral Kamilaroi roots.

Radical Son is the performance moniker of David Leha, a commanding Kamilaroi and Tongan artist whose music serves as a vehicle for cultural continuity and personal redemption. Emerging from a complex past, Leha has spent the last two decades channeling his experiences into poignant social commentary. His landmark 2014 debut, Cause 'N Affect, established him as a singular voice in the Australian indigenous music landscape. Armed with a volcanic, soul-stirring vocal range, Radical Son collaborates with other cross-cultural standard-bearers like Emma Donovan, David Bridie, and Frank Yamma, cementing his status as a vital cultural storyteller and mentor.

Ten years after his debut, Bilambiyal returns with a stunning monument to maturity, cultural endurance, and personal growth. Translated as "The Learning," this 13-track collection shifts seamlessly between sweeping soul arrangements, roots reggae, and stark, atmospheric spoken-word pieces. Leha's voice is magnificent - a rich, weathered baritone that carries immense gravity, especially on the foundational single "Elder," which pays reverence to the guidance of indigenous leadership. The collaborative tracks elevate the record; Emma Donovan's soaring harmonies on "How Long Must I Wait" inject a classic soul urgency, while "Yuluwirri Wandabaa (The Rainbow Dreaming)" blends modern production with ancient truths.

David Bridie's co-production ensures the sonic textures are vast yet intimate, allowing the heavy thematic weight of identity and sovereignty to resonate deeply. It is an honest, triumphant record that proves healing and learning are lifelong creative pursuits.

Bandcamp

Bilambiyal

RADICAL SON

Released 12 July 2024

Wantok Music

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An explosive, deeply triumphant celebration of Blak joy and maternal resilience expressed with political fury and infectious, unapologetic self-esteem.

BARKAA is the moniker of Chloe Quayle, a formidable Malyangapa and Barkindji rapper raised in Southwest Sydney. Emerging as one of Australian hip-hop's most vital voices, she initial cut through with her ferocious 2020 debut "For My Tittas" and her critically acclaimed 2022 EP Blak Matriarchy. Her razor-sharp lyricism draws directly from her lived experience, navigating the housing commission estates of Eora, past battles with addiction, and her journey as a young mother. Crowned Artist of the Year at the 2024 National Indigenous Music Awards, BARKAA commands the stage with fierce cultural pride and magnetic, old-school hip-hop delivery.

Where her previous work carried the heavy, vital weight of political resistance, Big Tidda pivots toward an infectious, swaggering celebration of Blak joy and personal growth. Across its seven tracks, BARKAA delivers an absolute masterclass in self-assurance. Backed by heavy, trunk-rattling production from jayteehazard and Nerve, anthems like "Preach" and "We Up" reject compromise, turning "big-noting" into an act of cultural defiance. Yet, the EP finds its true heart in its softer margins. The stunning track "Alinta," dedicated to her daughter, opens with a live snippet from the Sydney Opera House and offers a moving, vulnerable apology for the hardships of early motherhood.

Collaborations with First Nations peers Kobie Dee and Say True God? reinforce a profound sense of community. It is a bold, beautifully rounded release that proves joy is just as radical as fury.

Barkaa Official

Kill The Dead

Released 9 August 2024

1788 Records

****-

A towering blueprint for contemporary First Nations hip-hop that welds political fury, ancestral reverence, and massive hooks into pure gold.

First Nations supergroup 3% takes their name from the slim demographic percentage of Indigenous people making up the Australian population. The powerhouse trio brings together the combined brilliance of multi-disciplinary Yuin MC and producer Nooky, Noongar lyricist Dallas Woods, and Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung singer-songwriter Angus Field. Formed originally around a studio session in early 2022, the group quickly developed an undeniable creative chemistry designed to challenge systemic injustice. Merging razor-sharp, double-time rap verses with soaring, soulful vocal hooks, the trio has quickly ascended to national prominence, securing major accolades including Best Hip Hop Release at the ARIA Music Awards.

This spectacular 14-track debut stands as a monument to reclamation, resilience, and musical versatile talent. Kill The Dead refuses to lock itself into a singular sonic box; instead, it pivots seamlessly between hard-hitting boom-bap, club-ready anthems, and deeply vulnerable R&B. Tracks like "Kids You Couldn't Kill" and the explosive "BNP" lay down a fierce foundation of pride and survival, driven by Nooky and Woods' formidable wordplay. The guest contributions are brilliant and expertly curated. Jessica Mauboy elevates "Won't Stop" into a triumphant, horn-heavy anthem, while "Sleezy Steezy Cool" features a wonderfully smooth pop-soul showing from Tia Gostelow. The emotional core of the record peaks on "Coming Home," which beautifully samples Jimmy Little’s classic "Royal Telephone." Closing out with the award-winning, industrial-tinged Presets collaboration "Our People," the album delivers an unforgettable listening experience that honors the past while boldly claiming the future.

3% Official

Sing Your Own Song

ANDREW GURRUWIWI BAND

Released 5 July 2024

Gaga Music

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“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.”

Visionary, joyful, eclectic and impossible to stop dancing to. Welcome to Sing Your Own Song, the debut album release from multi-talented Northern Territory musicians, the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band.

The band hails from northeast Arnhem Land, one of the remotest corners of Australia, but that hasn’t stopped them from assembling a world-class ensemble to pull together the most exciting release from the north since Yolŋu surf rock combo King Stingray’s self-titled debut album in 2022.Fronted by Andrew Gurruwiwi (who’s also a popular broadcaster on Yolŋu Radio in Arnhem Land), Sing Your Own Song is laden with infectious grooves and impressive musicianship, destined to take Australia’s festival circuit by storm in 2024 and 2025. Gurruwiwi’s influences are wider than the Arafura Sea – among his inspirations are the rhythms of Africa, Jamaica, India, Mexico, blues, rock and flamenco.

Tambo Jamz Vol 1

MITCH TAMBO

Released 3 July 2024

Walanbaa Music / Believe

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"This project reflects a key aspect of who I am as an artist and a proud Aboriginal man. This collection speaks to the universal language of music and celebrates the beauty of diversity. Plus, I also wanted to have some fun."

Australian musician Mitch Tambo's Tambo Jazz Vol 1 is a collection of instrumental soundscapes that defies genre boundaries.

During the challenges of the COVID pandemic and the mounting pressure to maintain a presence on social media, Mitch took a creative leap by launching a content series called "Tambo Jamz", which showcased his musicianship by performing various soundscapes in different settings. The response was overwhelming, with some videos receiving millions of views and garnering widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike.

"Over the past couple of years, my followers have consistently asked me to release the music from the Tambo Jamz content series," Mitch shared. "When I parted ways with Sony Music earlier this year, I knew it was time to fulfil that request. My fans have been incredibly loyal and supportive since my journey on Australia's Got Talent, and I wanted to give them something they've been asking for. The industry centres so heavily on streams, likes, and followers that it’s creating a heavy burden on artists. So, I decided to celebrate and enjoy the love of creating music by offering a different listening experience and to connect with followers.”

Warrangu; River Story

DOBBY

Released 14 June 2024

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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The album is filled with powerful orchestral sounds and energetic beats, while his voice – together with those of fellow knowledge holders – shares the plight of important NSW rivers.

DOBBY - drummer, rapper, composer, producer - proudly identifies as a Filipino and Aboriginal musician, whose family is from Murrawarri and Ngemba lands (Weilmoringle, Brewarrina NSW).  

This moving and immersive story-telling album is an urgent call to take action and care for country. The stories follow three rivers that form cultural boundaries in Brewarrina NSW: the Bogan River to the South, the Culgoa River to the North, and the Barwon River to the East. Water theft on a grand scale has been occurring in the region for years. In particular, over-irrigation and redirection of the waterways known as the Murray Darling Basin for the profit of almonds and cotton have caused horrific and irreversible damage to our ecosystem. In addition, last year up to a million fish died in Menindee NSW, rendering it the biggest fish kill in history, due to the high levels of Blue Green algae in the rivers.

It is evident that the waters in our rivers have been mismanaged on a catastrophic level, and DOBBY's explorations provide the soundtrack for community grown demonstration against the commodification and privatisation of a water source that is depended upon by over three million people.

Songs like Water and Language Is In The Land speak directly to the devastating impact on the Murray Darling Basin as a result of illegal mass irrigation, while events like this create a platform and opportunity to educate and protest corporate greed.

“My grandmother Mary Clapham Nee Shearer was born and raised in Brewarrina. Her father, George Shearer, was born under the birthing tree on Murrawarri land on the Culgoa at Corella Station. WARRANGU; River Story is a journey back home to my family’s history, a connection to Culture” – DOBBY.

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Yours Forever

JESSICA MAUBOY

Released 9 February 2024

Jamally / Warner Music Australia

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Long established as one of Australia's foremost performers in pop music, television, film and celebrity, Jessica Mauboy's fifth solo album finds her at a new label with broadened musical ambitions.

She jumps between gospel-inspired soul (Give You Love), fierce funk (Flashback), effortless mainstream, vibey pop (The Loneliest I Ever Was, Whitney), trap (Tell ‘Em), and acoustic balladry (Goodbye).
Mauboy has bravely decided to simplify her melodies and instrumentation – going for less is more and succeeding in the results. She’s also accepted that her voice has changed over time, with her vocals now packed with an at-times perfectly dirty rock and roll rasp.

She’s not just the girl next door R&B singer you’ve come to know (or still expect). She’s so much more.

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Wilurarrakutu

KEANU NELSON

Released 3 November 2023

Time Longer Than Rope

Mississippi Records

****-

A completely beautiful and original sonic work that should not be missed!!!!

Keanu Nelson is a young Aboriginal Australian artist from the remote but artistically rich community of Papunya, northwest of Alice Springs. He paints in the Western Desert movement style, and, on this album, sings poems from his notebook over minimalist DIY Casio beats programmed by Yuta Matsumura.

This, his debut album, was first released in 2023 on the local Altered States label and re-released November 2024 on Mississippi Records in an effort to bring this vital music and unique voice to (slightly) more people.

Keanu wrote these songs as private poems about family, home, and loss. He was finally inspired to sing them, make them public and loudly heard, after meeting Matsumura at the Papunya Tjupi Arts Centre. Inspired by the strong local gospel scene and reggae beats passed around the community via USB sticks, they created eight haunting, seering, lonely tracks, somehow familiar yet totally new, sung in both Papunya Luritja and English. Someone said it’s like Francis Bebey meets Suicide meets a slew of home-made Soundcloud artists, broadcasting from one of the most remote places on earth.

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Where Are They Now

THE PAD BOYS

Released 15 September 2023

The 5Five Presents

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Fusing roots-based reggae and indie rock with Djabugay language, within a broader soul groove, The Pad Boys songs have become mini ‘anthems’, and are now part of a longer Djabugay music tradition.

One of North Queensland’s most enduring and successful First Nations acts celebrated 30 years in the music industry in 2023 with the release of their debut album, “Where Are They Now”.

The Pad Boys formed in 1992 in Kuranda, and spent the best part of the 90’s touring, playing festivals, and developing a dedicated fan base.

For many years a three piece, William ‘Biri’ Duffin (Guitar and Lead vocals), Roderick ‘Rocky’ Newbury (guitar/vocals), Dennis ‘Bugsy’ Hunter (Drums) and Timmy ‘Wiggy’ Wason (Bass), in 2022 original band member Rocky Newbury returned (Ryhthm Guitar/Vocals), and the band is now joined by synth pop recording artist Tegan Koster (Keyboards/Vocals).

The album was recorded at CQU in Cairns, after a dedicated creative development process at The 5Five studio’s and was produced by elusive producer Hairbrain, and mixed by local legend Patty Preece.

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