If there's ever been an album that's needed right now, it's Gordon Koang's Unity.
The album is the 11th from the Nuer musician, his first since moving to Australia, and was recorded over a six year period while living as an asylum seeker.
“This album is about uniting people together," explained Koang.
"If the world unites itself, no one will say 'I am alone.'"
Seeing Koang perform is an experience of pure joy, and it's a feeling that carries on throughout throughout Unity.
What they're saying...
Koang has shared this exclusive track by track with The Music. Read it below.
Asylum Seeker
I am talking to the people who are waiting for their permanent residency and the people also who have been waiting for their citizenships. I am talking to them telling them the time will come when you get it! When you are an asylum seeker you don't have a job, you don’t have a friend, you don’t have any money, you don’t have something to do. You are just waiting for your residency.
Stand Up (Clap Your Hands)
This song is telling you to stand up and clap your hands, to shake your body, to dance, to enjoy the music! Come up with your partner, enjoy it and dance with us, show us your style! This is a song to make people happy! My music is always talking with love, loving my audience, and also I love my people who will be listening to the song from a very far place. Wherever they are, they can listen to my music until the time comes when we will meet and will be very close! I am talking to the people to make them happy!
Kone Ke Ran (Kon-e K Ran)
This song, I am talking to the people, telling them the name of the guy! The man is from South Sudan, Bhan Chuol Both Top. He is a South Sudan man working in the UN, helping people who are in a camp. I composed this song about his name because this guy is a counsellor. A counsellor is someone who is counselling people who have been traumatised by the war that happened in South Sudan. I love this guy very much!
South Sudan
This song, I compose it for the South Sudanese who have been fighting for their independence. When people are fighting, all of the civilians run to other countries. I said that when these civilians return in 2005 to South Sudan, they bring their different cultures but they also need to remember that South Sudan is your culture. Don’t leave it even if you have culture now from other places. You need to be one in the world, one country. Love yourself, love one another, love all people.
Mal Mi Goa (Mal Mee Gwa)
Thank you to the people who will listen to the song called Mal Mi Goa! Mal Mi Goa is a greeting song and I composed it to give people my greeting, my love to them. Also, I tell them there will be the time when I see you, even if you listen to my song wherever you are and you don’t know my body, you don’t know my picture - there will be the time when you see me and I will greet you! I am singing the song and you will enjoy it wherever you are now and there will be a time when we are together.
Y Dah (Way Dah)
Our country has many resources - you can see the trees, you can see the grasses, you can see the water, and also the petrol, and the gold. Let us enjoy the resources that God has given to us with happiness!
Tiel e Nei Nywal Ke Ran (Tell e Neh Nw-al K Ran)
This song, I compose it to tell people we don’t have a problem with anyone! When I came to Australia, people didn’t know that I am a musician because I came from overseas. They didn’t know my music but now I show my music to the people here and also to the people who are in far places. They listen to this song and they will know that I don’t have a problem with anyone! I was born blind but I thank God because he gives me this music! It makes me very happy! I love people and that’s why I say it, I need all the people to have love among them so that’s why I composed a song called Tiel e Nei Nywal Ke Ran.
Te ke mi Thile Ji Kuoth Nhial (Teh Kee Mee Tee-heel Ja Kwoth Nee-he-al)
Thank you very much to the people who will listen to this song! This song I compose for my wife and my children and myself. I compose it for them to tell them that I love them because God gives them to me and gives me to them. And I love them and I love God who created them!
Check out Unity below and here for more info or to pick up your copy.
Comments