POSTS TAGGED : Welsh

Wigwam – ‘Rhyddid’


Wigwam are a Cardiff-based outfit with a flair for bright, upbeat and eminently catchy garage indebted indie-pop.

Formed in 2017, they released their debut album ‘Coelcerth’ last year and they are back with a new single ‘Rhyddid’. It is a bright, upbeat and utterly loveable tune of plucky guitars, playful riffs and energetic rhythm. It is big on hooks and melodic allure, as ‘Rhyddid’ bounces around with swaggering carefree abandon as sweet and melodic vocals dance above; like it’s title, the vocals are in their native Welsh which aside from being delightful on the ear, also provides a further distinctive character. An utterly loveable blast of charming, infectious and bright guitar that will leave you all the better for getting acquainted.

Listen to ‘Rhyddid’ below:


Cotton Wolf – ‘Ofni’

Cardiff duo Cotton Wolf – Llion Robertson & Seb Goldfinch – are back with a brand new album ‘Ofni’ (‘Fear’ in Welsh), which will be released on October 4th.

Ofni is the follow up to their spellbinding debut LP, Life In Analogue in 2017, one of the year’s finest. A gorgeous marriage of epic euphoria, ethereal electronica and frosty, crisp elegance – it is spine-tingling musical cinematography at its very finest.

Set against a thematic backdrop of social uncertainty, the album’s darker material is simultaneously imbued with anxious paranoia and a hopeful positivity. The pair embrace faster tempos and purer electronic sounds, alongside hypnotic, abstract and melodic ideas that so marked to their previous work. Whilst the vast majority if the record is instrumental, latest single and title track features Adwaith’s Hollie Singer. Singer’s exquisite, ethereal vocal is set to a backdrop of a well whisked blend of lush electronics, warm tones, hypnotic beats and stabs of synth, and undulating ripples of ethereal escapism. Elegant, bewitching and altogether mesmerising – ‘Ofni’ is simply gorgeous.

Listen to ‘Ofni’ below now and keep an eye out for Cotton Wolf’s new record on October 4th.

Adwaith – ‘Hey!’

Welsh trio Adwaith – Hollie Singer, Gwenllian Anthony & Heledd Owen – released one of 2018’s finest albums in Melyn; intense, compelling and unique; it is a colossus of experimental post punk.

Not wishing to wait around, the Carmarthenshire trio are looking forward with a brand new single, ‘Hey!’; a song that firmly sets the foundations for the next exciting chapter. ‘Hey!’ is wake up call, a call to arms of sorts, or as they put it themselves, it “is a song about people ignoring obvious facts that are right in front of them. Global leaders are not acting upon climate change and they can’t ignore it for much longer!!“. The lyrical message is matched by the musical urgency in ‘Hey!’, a buzzing riff and spiky guitars lead the charge along a bubbling bassline forging a formidable backdrop for the fuzzy, reverb-laden vocals to reign supreme. Powerful, passionate and fearless but most importantly it is a belter of a tune.

Listen to ’Hey!’ below now, it will be part of a double A side single released later this month.

Omaloma – ‘Dywarchen’


Welsh artist Omaloma (aka George Amor) has eked out a rather special place on the musical landscape with a series of singles confirming his standing as a reliable source of blissful, spacey psych-pop.

Latest offering ‘Dywarchen’ is Omaloma’s first release since the magnificent ‘Bubblegum’ last year and it, and b-side ‘Europa B’, continue this predilection for lush, sophisticated cosmic-pop. Conceived during a trip to the Snowdonian lake of the same name, ‘Dywarchen’. Radiating warm summer vibes, ‘Dywarchen’ gently drifts by with a carefree and blissful aura. An alluring blend of mildly funky keys, gushes of lush synth and woozy psych brush strokes, fashion a seductive and dreamy underbelly for Amor’s soft, soothing and alluring vocals to charm you entirely. B-side ‘Europa B’ – a theme tune to an as yet unrealised sci-fi series – is every bit as beguiling. Breezing gracefully by with twinkling electronics and shimmering synth illuminating our way through an ethereal universe of tranquillity; it is a woozy four minute sojourn through a spellbinding interstellar paradise. Two stunning additions to a sublime catalogue and yet further evidence Omaloma brilliance and unique talent.

‘Dywarchen’ is out now via Cae Gwyn Records, tune in below.

Quodega – ‘Design Your Eyes’

Quodega is the moniker of Cardiff-based electronica artist Tom Raybould who crafts propulsive electronica that is marked by decidedly cinematic feel.

Following on from 2017’s The Meanderlux Vessel, Quodega has returned with a brand new album called Only Forward, and the first single lifted from the album is ‘I Design Your Eyes’.

It is a sleek cinematic vision powered by a relentless chugging tempo and propulsive synth, filtered through the unique contours of his own musical imagination. Building from a hardy rhythmic core, he paves a long and winding path through a chilling hinterland between electronica and techno whereby dreams and reality coexist, and offering a perfect backdrop for the driving beats, mutating synths, splashes of neon light and propulsive groove. Upon listening to ‘Design Your Eyes’, it will come as no surprise to find that Raybould has extensive soundtrack experience to his name; it is a marvel that is captivating and immersive, and creates an incredible sense of wonderment and adventure.

Listen to ‘Design Your Eyes’ below and if that is to your liking, the new album can be found here.

Ynys – ‘Caneuon’

Ynys (pronounced ‘un-iss’) is a new project from Welsh artist Dylan Hughes, ex Race Horses and Radio Luxembourg.

Ynys’ sound combines an ear for melody and playful approach to song craft, fashioned to form delicate songs that an emit an irresistible warmth amid the beautifully melancholic harmonies and off-kilter psychedelic. For his debut under the Ynys moniker Hughes has teamed up with the wonderful Libertino Records to release ‘Caneuon’, a bona fide treasure. It is an instantly lovable, mildly dizzying and waltzing psych pop song. Pairing a gentle strum and chimes with a big heart-swelling melody and big chorus that envelopes the listener into his world as Hughes’ lilting warm Welsh vocals soaring above. It’s infectious, charming and adorable, with easy-going psychedelic flourishes and classic pop twist, it is an utter joy to behold.

‘Caneuon’ was recorded in Tŷ Drwg with renowned Cardiff producer Frank Naughton and mixed and mastered by Iwan Morgan (Gruff Rhys, Euros Childs, H Hawkline, Cate Le Bon, Meilyr Jones) in Liverpool.

Listen to ‘Caneuon’ below now:

ALFFA – ‘PLA’

_104596520_alffa_horizons

Alffa are Dion Wyn Jones & Sion Eifion Land, a two-man riff machine from Llanrug, Wales.

Performing in their native Welsh, this pair have a massive sound and craft explosive tunes echoing the likes of The White Stripes, The Black Keys & Royal Blood et al. The self-dubbed “punk-blues” two piece introduced themselves with powerhouse singles ‘Creadur’ and ‘Tomos Rhys’ late last year, and Alffa are back with new single ‘PLA’ – provoing once again they are a force to be reckoned with. ‘PLA’ is every bit as muscular as it predecessors announcing it’s presence with a deafening combination of ferocious, serrated guitar riff, thunderous and propulsive drums and searing, biting vocals. It is a thundering three-minutes of gritty rock ‘n roll abandon as mammoth riffs crash into pulverising percussion for a dazzling and mighty whirl of noise.

You can listen to ‘PLA’ below – and if that is to your liking, there is plenty more where that came from here too.

 

Kidsmoke – ‘Passenger’

Kidsmoke are Welsh indie-pop foursome – Lance, James, Sophie & Ash – who’s shimmering brand of dreamy indie-pop whisks us far away from their native North Wales haven of Wrexham.

Following on from late 2018 single ‘Rising Sun’, ‘Passenger’ is the latest single lifted from Kidsmoke’s forthcoming debut album, due for release Summer 2019. ‘Passenger’ is an elegant, breezy and evocative slice of indie pop. A super melodic jangle propelled by a chiming, buoyant and off-kilter guitar riff juxtaposed with wistful, reflective lyrics. ‘Passenger’ is a shimmering, uplifting and addictive three-minute masterclass in indie-pop, and one that certainly whets the appetite for their debut album. A little slice of indie-pop heaven.

‘Passenger’ is the band’s second single lifted from their forthcoming album, due out this summer.

Zefur Wolves – ‘Flying High’

Welsh fuzzed-up alt-rockers Zefur Wolves have returned with sublime new single ‘Flying High’ following a two year absence.

Not only marking an end to two years radio silence, ‘Flying High’ is also the lead single from the Cardiff-based outfit’s forthcoming album Truth is in the Stars, out on Strangetown Records on 29 March. Produced by Super Furry Animals’ Cian Ciaran, ‘Flying High’ is a beautifully melodic slice of sun-kissed and fuzzy alt-rock. Simultaneously darkly moody and exuding positivity, the delightful juxtaposition between jarring distorted guitars and the breezy carefree melodies and Estelle Ios’ (also of Baby Queens) honeyed vocals is seductive and ultimately hypnotic. ‘Flying High’ is a spellbinding and beautiful track and an absolute joy to behold – and one that certainly bodes well for the follow up to their wonderful self-titled debut in 2015

Check out the wonderful ‘Flying High’ below & Truth is in the Stars is out 29 March via Strangetown Records.

Los Blancos – ‘Ti Di Newid / Cadw Fi Lan’

p05v0tj3

Last year was a rather good one for Welsh foursome Los Blancos, establishing themselves as one of Wales’ most exciting prospects.

A band bonded in friendship – Gwyn, Dewi, Emyr and Osian have known each other since school days – Los Blancos have proven a reliable source of irresistible slacker/garage-rock, a fact that isn’t about to change anytime soon as they waste no time in opening their account for 2019 with a new double A side single ‘Ti Di Newid / Cadw Fi Lan’ via Libertino Records.

Sung in their native Welsh, Los Blancos’ scuzzy, fuzz-filled sound mutates somewhat between each release – something that can be seen with the contrasting nature of both new singles. ‘Ti Di Newid’ is a gritty and dynamic feast of melodic fuzz and distortion, smouldering with emotion and packed with blazing riffs, crunchy guitars and soaring choruses. While it is rough, ragged and raw musically and emotionally, there is a beauty and brittleness to the genuine heartfelt emotion as it chugs along with a surging vitality and screeching riffs. ‘Cadw Fi Lan’ is the calmer of the two tracks, providing a hazy meander sojourn to warm and swooning sliding guitar-led alt-country meets lo-fi indie filled with a melancholic end of summer youthful sweetness. Aside from their native tongue and dash of garage fuzz, the other constant is Gwyn Rosser’s voice, his drawl consistently delivering that added emotional punch with aplomb.

Listen to ‘Ti Di Newid’ and ‘Cadw Fi Lan’ below; the double a-side is out now via Libertino Records.