US Label Spotlights Australia With World Music Compilation

Leading US world music label Putumayo will pay tribute to the contributions of Australian artists with its first compilation of tunes sourced from the great land Down Under, simply titled Australia, on May 27.

The album sports a diverse line-up of some of the finest artists the country has to offer, boasting standout Indigenous and contemporary musicians such as Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Archie Roach (with Paul Kelly), Bobby Alu, Xavier Rudd, Colin Hay, The Beautiful Girls and The Lucky Wonders.

As if the quality of music the album possesses isn't good enough, it goes an extra heartwarming mile by including a recipe for lamingtons, as well has having 1 percent of its profits donated by Putumayo to Yalari, a non-profit organisation that provides secondary school scholarships to Australian Indigenous children in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia.

A companion CD for children, Australian Playground, will be released with Australia, featuring artists such as Don Spencer, Bob Brown, The NEO and Garrangali, Rosie Burgess, Lazy Harry, and The Band of the South Australia Police (face it, that's amazing), among others.

The album will be available for $24.95 from a range of outlets including JB HiFi, ABC stores, Sanity, independent record stores, bookshops, and gift stores, so if you're interested when it drops, you shouldn't have any trouble finding it.