Hand To Earth // Mokuy CD

Australia's Arnhem Land Indigenous BusinessDaniel WilfredHand To Earth, a band led by David WilfredThis is a CD released by the country's experimental label room2023 in November 11.

Australian animals such as didgeridoo and BurmeseContains 3 ambient songs using indigenous instruments.

Below are explanations from band members.

"The process of making music together on Hand To Earth is unlike anything we've ever experienced. It's not free improvisation, but it's not composition either. It's something in between, and it feels like weaving. Through Hand To Earth, we weave together the threads of different histories, different lives, and different perspectives to become a family.

Daniel weaves Manikai (folk songs) from his native Wagilaku into the syntax of our shared customs.He talks about ``raki'', a string used to make daily bags carried by the mokui (spirits) depicted in many of the paintings of artists such as Jambu Bura Bura and Wally Wilfred.Rakhi exists in the world that we can touch, but it is also a metaphysical thread that draws us to a ``bul_14bul'' (a ritual or gathering place).When we play music, Rakhi draws us all together.Both Yoruru and Balander, we are connected by this invisible thread, and under its guidance we gather, sing, play, dance, and listen.

As Daniel sings in Wata Dhärranhay_14Bu, Rakhi transcends time and place, like the wind that blows through different countries and brings people together, and touches all of us, no matter where we come from. Connect.

Daniel and David's songlines date back perhaps 6 years, forming the oldest continuous musical tradition on earth.However, songlines are constantly being updated.Mokui's songs are inspired by our individual relationships with country, and emerge with new sounds and energy born of the learning and friendships we share.

Our individual stories are also part of the songline.When we close our eyes and listen to each other, we feel the quiet suction of Rakhi, which expands and intertwines our imaginations.Daniel and Sunny's singing voices, the breathing of the trumpets and woodwind instruments, and the heartbeat of Ihuaki. "

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CD in matte-laminate and monochrome printed sleeve. 

Tracklist:

1. Waṯu
2. Wata Dhärranhayŋu
3. Mokuy

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Artist statement by Daniel Wilfred, David Wilfred, Aviva Endean, Sunny Kim and Peter Knight:

"The process of making music together in Hand to Earth is unlike any other we have experienced. It is not free improvisation but it is not composed either. It is somewhere in between, and it feels like 'weaving.' Through Hand to Earth, we weave the threads of our different histories, different lives, and different perspectives together, and become family.  

Daniel weaves the 'Manikay' (public songs) in his first language, Wagiläk - into the syntax of our shared practices. He talks about the 'raki', the string that is used to make the dilly bag that the Mokuy (spirit) can be seen carrying in many of the paintings by Djambu Burra Burra, Wally Wilfred, and others. Raki exists in the world we can touch, but it is also a metaphysical connecting thread that draws us together to the 'buŋgul' (ceremony, or gathering ground). When we play music, the raki pulls us all together - Yolŋu and balander - we are joined by this invisible thread, and under its guidance, we gather to sing, play, dance, and listen.

Like the wind that blows through different countries to bring people together – which Daniel sings about in Wata Dhärranhayŋu – raki traverses time and place and connects all of us no matter where we come from. 

The songlines Daniel and David care for stretch back for perhaps 60,000 years and form the oldest continuously practised music tradition on the planet. But the songlines are also always being renewed. In Mokuy, the songs spring up with new sounds and energy inspired by each of our own relationships to Country, and born of our shared learning and friendship. 

Each of our stories are part of these songlines now. As we close our eyes to listen to one another we feel the silent draw of the raki and it propels our imaginations to soar and intertwine. Like a diary written in the aether, Mokuy carves a record of our coming together, animated by Daniel and Sunny's voices; the breath of the trumpet and woodwinds; the insistent pulse of the yiḏaki." 

Artist: Hand To Earth

Label: Room40