Praised in Australia as "the greatest voice this continent has ever recorded", Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is a blind, soulful musician from the remote northern territory of northeast Arnhemland. He sings in the dialects of the indigenous Gumatj clan, and has deservedly become the first Aboriginal superstar. He started out as a teenager working with the rock-influenced Yothu Yindi, and then joined his current band, Saltwater; but for this debut solo album he switched to a gentler, acoustic style, with dramatic results. Recorded for a small indie label in Darwin, it became an unexpected success across Australia. Gurrumul accompanies himself on acoustic guitar, and the easygoing, rolling songs are influenced by gospel and western folk themes. Yet the lyrics (which are translated in the sleeve notes) are highly personal, dealing with his life or his blindness; they are transformed by that thoughtful, exquisitely emotional voice. The mood rarely changes, but the songs are so strong that lack of variety is no problem. With luck, Gurrumul will be in the UK for his first solo shows here in the next few weeks, and he'll be well worth checking out.