Horizons Acts for 2018 Announced & Playlist

Horizons-2018

As regular patrons of the site will be acutely aware I have a great fondness for Wales, and more specifically Welsh music (not to mention the footballing powerhouse that is Wrexham AFC).

For a relatively small place, Wales does rather well for itself musically and for somewhere of its size, it is surely unmatched in both quality and quantity. From the towns and cities, mountains and valleys, Wales proves itself time and time again, to be an ever reliable source of creative, superbly inventive and experimental sounds across a myriad of genres.

While I am entirely grateful for the seemingly never ending stream of wondrous sounds, something apparent from a casual listen to Adam Walton’s excellent BBC Radio Wales Programme (see also Bethan Elfyn also of BBC Radio Wales & Lisa Gwilym’s C2 on BBC Radio Cymru) or cursory glance at the Focus Wales lineup or the Horizons showcase.

It is the latter that draws our attention today – a collaboration between BBC Wales and Arts Council of Wales – Horizons aims to showcase exciting new, independent contemporary music in Wales, providing promotional and performance opportunities, incl. festival slots throughout the year.

Just this week, the twelve acts selected from across Wales for Horizons 2018 were announced. There are some familiar names in there; Adwaith, Campfire Social, CHROMA and Nia Wyn, and some new; Himalayas, I See Rivers, Aleighcia Scott, Alffa, Eadyth, Marged, No Good Boyo and The Pitchforks. Either way, new acquaintances or old, it is an incredibly diverse array of artists.

You can, like me, delve in below:

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Introducing: A C C Ü

 

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TRWBADOR were an act who occupied a unique place in the musical landscape between folk, techno and electronica. The duo’s original sound placed them firmly at the forefront the Welsh music scene but during the summer of this year, the pair decided to go their separate ways.

Since then, both Owain Gwilym and Angharad van Rijswijk have been working in their own respective projects. Having previously collaborated with Cornershop under the A C C Ü alias, Van Rijswijk has unveiled the first material from her latest venture, with a series of recordings from a session for C2 BBC Radio Cymru. ‘Noseweithiau Nosol’ is a breathtaking introduction to the new endeavor, delving further into otherworldly electronica, Van Rijswijk’s distinctive crystalline voice finds itself at peace among the winding, pulsating and throbbing synth line and shadow sounds. ‘Golau Welw’ is a much lighter and airy concoction, demonstrating the compelling power of her vocals, amid minimal crunchy beats and subtle synths/keys.

With A C C Ü, Van Rijswijk is continuing to forge something distinct and rather unique and while it’s certainly a shame that TRWBADOR parted company, on this evidence, A C C Ü has plenty to offer.