Indigenous-Australian rapper Baker Boy (Danzal Baker) is one of the brightest names in Australian music. Coming five years after breaking into the mainstream and inspired by his skin name, Gela is a representation of self, a celebration of what has been accomplished, and a showcase of the potential to come.

Since releasing his singles Cloud 9 and Marryuna in 2017, the performer has gone from strength to strength, quickly becoming a staple of Australian music charts. Having been named 2019 Young Australian of the Year and performed in the 2021 AFL Grand Final in Perth earlier this year, all eyes are on Baker with this new release. 

Throughout the album, Baker effortlessly blends English and his native tongue Yolnu Matha, which originates from his homeland in northeast Arnhem Land. In an ABC interview, the young artist said rapping in Yolnu Matha was a “no-brainer” as it helps him to connect his music to his people and teaches them to be “strong and proud”, something which is of utmost importance to the 24-year-old.

His lively performance and choruses that just can’t help but get stuck in your head are supported by creative beats and fun bass lines, often underlaid with traditional instruments such as the yidaki (didgeridoo) and clapping sticks. 

Listeners are welcomed to Gela with Announcing the Journey performed by Glen Gurruwiwi, a traditional song of the Galpu people that acts as the “foreword” and announces the album. Survive follows, powerfully and epically setting the pace. It features loud Kanye-esque bass and stomping beats, creating further emphasis over his bars in the verses and the chants in the chorus, acknowledging the resistance of his people amidst ongoing exploitation.

My Mind contrasts with Survive; a track driven by cowbell and heavy basslines behind Baker Boy’s lyrics before bursting into a catchy, bouncy melody chorus featuring the wonderful musician G-Flip. 

Ride, featuring Yirrmal, will be the most familiar sounding song to Aussie hip-hop fans, a throwback to the sounds of Drapht and Bliss n Eso from a decade ago, sprinkled with Baker’s recognisable flair. Butterflies features snares chasing high hats in doubles, accompanying some of his best rhymes on the record before moving to a catchy chorus that is easy to sing along to - even on the first listen.

Listeners are then treated to a change of pace in Cool as Hell, a track that comprises simple keys underneath the verses that lead to the funky bass line in the pre-chorus, encouraging you to groove along. It’s by far his most popular song, with more than 9.5 million listens on Spotify, making it easy to imagine thousands of arms swaying along to the chorus at his next live gig.

It is clear that Gela was an opportunity for Baker to experiment with new sounds and showcase the range of genres in his hit-making arsenal. The reggae-inspired Somewhere Deep sets the scene for overlayed melancholy thoughts about “oceans rising” and “mother earth crying”, where he laments the destruction of a traditional connection caused by the greed of “criminals making more than they need”.

The second half of the album contains the disco-funk tracks MYWD and Funk Wit Us, the latter a fast and electronic song which closes with a Daft Punk-style repeated chorus line using autotune. The penultimate track is the soulful Ain’t Nobody Like You, with the warm sounds of Jerome Farah’s voice filling up the chorus.

The most introspective track and my personal favourite on the record is Meditjin; the Yolnu word for medicine. Some killer bars explore Baker’s “humble” self-perception in his world of increasing fame, while recognising both the “OGs” that came before him and his purpose as a “brother reppin’ Arnhem Land”.

In the spirit of celebrating Australian music-makers and storytellers, this Baker Boy release is also featured on the Music in Stores From Our Shores Instagram, a movement fighting for Australian music to be played in Australian stores to help create a sustainable income for artists in the COVID-19 era.

Gela includes a number of already popular singles, such as Meditjin and Cool as Hell, and is likely to be received incredibly well by fans when he tours the album in 2022. Above being a tremendous collection of catchy pop songs and killer hip hop tracks, Gela tells a story of who Baker Boy is: an entertainer, a lover, a storyteller, a proud leader, a young person, and one of the most exciting artists in Australia.