Pronunciations | WILDFIRE MANWURRK + Mararradj 

Today, WILDFIRE MANWURRK releases their debut EP The Next Future.  A melting pot of thrashing guitars and traditional songlines from ancient times, on The Next Future, WILDFIRE MANWURRK share stories they face as men in a world of culture, chaos and change.  To mark the release, the band shares their colossal new single Mararradj alongside the enthralling official video.

Sung in the age-old endangered language Kune, on Mararradj, WILDFIRE MANWURRK unleash their unbridled power on the pounding rhythmic anthem.  Bursting with contagious hooks and grinding riffs, Victor Rostron’s vocals syncopate and captivate. “Mararradj means, a love that can never die. It’s like a fire burning that will never go out,” say’s Victor of the song.  “It’s not about me, that song, it’s about everyone. It’s about boyfriend and girlfriend going though break up, having argument, jealous talking, but then something tells you, you want to get that love back. You want to be sitting down together again. It’s because of Mararradj. It never finishes, it’s an unbreakable love,” he adds.

Captured and edited by Robert Sherwood and co-directed in an organic collaboration by WILDFIRE MANWURRK, Natalie Carey (Valentina Brave) and Robert Sherwood, the cinematic official video was filmed at Dukala-Djarranj, Northern Territory. The inspiration for the clip was to film the family on their homeland “just being themselves.”

The video is the second chapter in a two part-series, taking off from where the previous video Lonely Bangardi ends, as the family wake at their favourite campsite.  “The video means a lot to us mob. We filmed it on our Country, rocky country, walking to sacred places and singing songs. Singing Mimih too, our Kunborrk (Ceremony songline). We were looking after country while we went along making that video, burning country, burning trees and grass. I felt so good, I could feel everything, home, country, ancestors, people, everything touched me. “Kun-waral birri-yolhmakminj” (Spirit was really happy). I know that when people look at us walking country, they will recognise themselves, and think way back about how they have been walking their own country. We are taking all the people with us, if you are watching this video, you are seeing our paintings, our caves, our culture. You are walking with us helping us care for our country,” explains Victor.

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WILDFIRE MANWURRK’s debut EP, The Next Future, is literally thousands of years in the making.   Living remote between Maningrida and their ancestral home, Korlorbidahdah – eight hours drive from Darwin, it was sheer tenacity enabled the band to record and travel interstate during a pandemic.  The Next Future was recorded at Nowave Studio in Mullumbimby over three days, engineered by James Boundy (Dune Rats) and co-produced by WILDFIRE MANWURRK, Matt Smith and Natalie Carey.   The result is a melting pot of thrashing guitars, traditional songlines from ancient times, and the stories they face as men in a world of culture, chaos and change.

The EP features the aforementioned Mararradj, alongside their debut single and 80’s garage rock anthem Lonely Bangardi, and the monolithic follow up Don’t Smoke.  Since their inception, support and critical acclaim has followed, with full additions to triple j unearthed, 2SER, FBi, Double J and RTR, spins across triple j, 4ZZZ and RRR, alongside profile in Blunt, Check Check, Happy, Milky, Monster Children, Music Feeds, Pilerats and more.

True to their name, WILDFIRE MANWURRK is growing like wildfire, a uniquely gifted family who have poured years of blood, sweat and tears into the music and are passionate about sharing their culture.  “This music, it’s looking at both worlds. We’re telling our honest story using Balanda (whitefella) and Bininj (blackfella) music together. Kunborrk (ceremony songlines) with modern instruments are our double tools,” says Victor Rostron.

“We have a story to tell and this is our voice, in our language, one of the oldest languages in this world. That language will help you connect to where you are standing. It will help us come together, where we learn from each other,” he adds.

WILDFIRE MANWURRK are:

Sires Rostron – Lead Singer / Lead Guitar
Johnson Rostron – Lead Singer / Bass
Scott Cameron – Backing Singer / Drums
Ernest Rostron – Rhythm Guitar
Leo Rostron – Rhythm Guitar
Victor Rostron – Lead Singer / Didgeridoo (Morle) / Clapsticks