Gurrumul Posthumous Album 'Banbirrngu - The Orchestral Sessions' Announced

A new album of reworked Gurrumul classics, Banbirrngu - The Orchestral Sessions, is coming this November.

Honouring the late music legend’s most notable compositions from throughout his incredible career, the album was produced by Michael Hohnen, arranged by Erkki Veltheim and recorded in Prague with the Prague Metropolitan Orchestra, who were conducted by Jan Chalupecký.

The new orchestral recordings explore the singer’s well-known and beloved performances, including his performance of Amazing Grace.

Before his devastating passing in 2017, Gurrumul spent a decade collaborating with orchestras, from an early performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall to working with symphony orchestras in Australia.

The album not only highlights Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu’s ethereal vocals but is also filled with fascinating instrumentation, going from reserved to full-blown orchestral beauty. The orchestra brings depth and a dynamic range to Gurrumul’s already impressive catalogue.

For the first time in the singer’s discography, Banbirrngu - The Orchestral Sessions has been mixed in Spatial Audio, offering a new dimension to the stunning recordings that deliver an unforgettable listening experience to his fans.

Banbirrngu - The Orchestral Sessions will be released on Friday, 8 November, via Skinnyfish Music and Universal Music Australia. You can pre-order or pre-save the album in digital, vinyl, or CD formats here.

The first single, Banbirrngu, heightens the song’s ancestral themes, a journey taking listeners through birth, life, and the return to the earth. You can listen to the track below.

• 11 Best Australian Music Documentaries: Gurrumul, Paul Kelly & More

Gurrumul was a blind Gumatj man from Arnhem Land. He was one of the most famous, critically acclaimed Indigenous performers in Australian music history, with his music providing a rich legacy on musical and cultural levels. He passed away in 2017.

Gurrumul possessed a voice like no other singer and performed predominantly in his native Yolngu languages. In 2022, he was inducted into the National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) Hall of Fame.