Gurrumul, Dramatico ****

Gurrumul, a former member of Yothu Yindi, is an aboriginal singer from northern Australia who has been blind from birth – and who could well become the newest world music superstar. A first listen to this astonishingly creative talent (think Tracy Chapman meets The Gypsy Kings) reveals the sort of sweetness of musical touch that had seemingly gone out of fashion.

Written predominantly in the aboriginal language, with some English in there as well, Gurrumul is not to be confused with the grittier world music from west Africa. Rather, it’s a mainstream sort of sound, albeit with a few ethnic swerves.

Gurrumul uses mainly an acoustic guitar, a bass – and, with the odd bit or orchestral strings and vocal backing, there isn’t much variation on offer. But

that would be to totally miss the point of the music. He has a remarkable voice (always restrained, always quietly emotive) that dances over the simple but effective arrangements here. The album, if not quite sparse, is commendably uncluttered allows the vocal to do most of the work.

From the opener, Wiyathul, all the way through, there’s a gentle elegance at work, with Bapa and Galiku in particular showcasing Gurrumul’s ability to delve deep into a song and really tease out all the nuances. And, just when you become accustomed to the rhythms of the Aboriginal language, his sudden switch into English really changes the tone of the song. It’s a device that works very effectively.

You’d be best advised to get in at the bottom floor with this one. The album will be a huge seller, and its accessibility takes it out of the hands of the world music purists, whose pursuit of the “authentic” and “obscure” might well see them treat it with a snobbish contempt. Believe me, one listen and you’ll be enchanted. www.gurrumul.com

Download tracks: Galiku, Wiyathul