Blogs
Cardiff band SIlent Forum announce brand new 'Cat Pose' single which will be released via Libertino Records on Tuesday 23.05
According to Garmon Gruffudd from Y Lolfa, publishers of the book,
“We should celebrate the rich vein of ancient evocative words and phrases we have in Welsh and also use some of the inventive, often colloquial and slang words we have, rather than official unimaginative words, often slavishly translated from English. In the days of cyfieitheg (translateish) and Google translate I hope that this book will prove that a language is far more than just words and that some things just can’t be translated.”
Although aimed at tourists and Welsh learners Wales in 100 Words will also teach something new and bring a smile to the faces of people who have spoken Welsh all their lives. It is also another contribution to the never-ending discussions on the most loved words in the Welsh language.
The book includes humorous illustrations by Osian Roberts. Originally from Llanerchymedd in Anglesey, after graduating at the Manchester School of Art Osian now lives in Porth in the Rhondda valley.
Priced at £3.99, Wales in 100 Words (Y Lolfa) is available now in bookshops and www.ylolfa.com
The top 100 words in alphabetical order
Annwn, Ansparadigaethus, awen, bach, bara brith, beic berfa,bendigedig, blodyn pi pi’n gwely, bochdew, bolgi, braich hir, buwch goch gota, bwci bo, bwrw hen wragedd a ffyn, calennig, Cantre’r Gwaelod, cariad, cath i gythraul, cawl, ceiliog, cerdd dant, chwyldro, chwyrligwgan, co bach, clatsho bant, cnapan, codi sgwarnogod, crachach, cromlech, crwth, cwm plu, Cwm Sgwt, cwrwgl, cwtsh, Cymru, cynefin, cynghanedd, cythraul canu, daps, Dic Siôn Dafydd, dim gobaith caneri, dros ben llestri, dwylo blewog, echnos, eisteddfod, englyn, esgyrn eira, glo mân, gog, gorsedd, gwdihŵ, gwynt traed y meirw, hiraeth, hwncomwnco, hwntw, hwyl, iechyd da!, igam ogam, Jac Codi Baw, jiw jiw!, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll llandysulioygogogoch, ling di long, laeth mwnci, llwy garu, llwyth dyn diog, llyncu mul, MOM, mabinogion, manymanymwnci, milltir sgwâr, noson lawen, OMB!, paneidio, pendramwnwgl, pendwmpian, pengwin, Penmaenmawr, pibgorn, pili-pala, plygain, popty ping, pryd o dafod, randibŵ, Senedd, shwmai?, sinach, Sioni bob ochr, Taffia, traed dan bwrdd, twll o le, twmpath dawns, tŷ bach, y lôn goch, y pethe, y werin, y wladfa,y mab darogan, ych a fi!, yma o hyd, ynys afallon
Following on from previous single 'Rhedeg Yn Y Nos', Bridgend singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ci Gofod (Jack Thomas Davies) announces his brand new single 'Ysbrydoliaeth' which will be released on Friday 19th of May, with a brand new EP expected on the 30th of June.
Ci Gofod made his solo debut with the sweet and soulful single 'Castle Square' in 2020. Taking influences from the likes of Super Furry Animals and Sly And The Family Stone, Ci Gofod’s brand new single ‘Ysbrydoliaeth’; which translates to ‘Inspiration’ is a blissful yet funky groove that melts dreamy guitar melodies over Thomas-Davies chilled out Welsh language vocals.
Davies writes and records his 80s-inspired soul-infused disco-funk grooves from his bedroom studio in the South Wales Valleys. To bring his unique brand of indie-funk euphoria to stages, his live band now consists of Josh David Read (keys, guitar, vox), Lloyd Bastian (guitar, vox), Quillian Thomas (bass), and Josh Cox (drums).
Ci Gofod’s singles have been featured on BBC Introducing with Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru Playlist, and Aled Hugh’s BBC Radio Cymru and Featured Live at The BBC 6 Music Fringe Festival when it featured in The Moon Club,Cardiff.
Ci Gofod’s most successful single to date, 'Lose the Pressure', which will be a hit with any fans of Chic, Jungle, Sly and the Family Stone, and has exceeded expectation on streaming platforms.
Along with his mission to fill dancefloors with his energetic and flamboyant sound, Ci Gofod also seeks to orchestrate aural melting pots of funk, indie and neo-soul that pays ode to his Welsh heritage. His sights are firmly fixed on making an everlasting mark on the South Wales music scene; his success from the outset is proving that he’s a soulful force to be reckoned with.
PRESS FOR CI GOFOD
'Promises genius and originality..a rela nugget'
- Iggy Magazine
'an anthem to the disco and dance clubs'
- Amplify The Noise
'hard-hitting funk song with groovy vibes'
- The Other Side Reviews
'unique sound and infectious energy'
- Find No Enemy
'wonderfully rich and alluring'
- Mystic Sons
'blissful yet funky groove that melts dreamy guitar melodies'
- Music Blog Wales
Cardiff New Wave band 'Small Miracles' have announced their surging new 'Mercury' single will be released on the 19th May Via Dirty Carrot Records.
Small Miracles a re a dynamic quintet from Cardiff, Wales. Inspired by the early New Wave movement, they infuse elements of Punk, Blues and Grunge into their genre-bending sound. Their music has a distinctly queer, underground feel, finely balancing heavy grooves and breakdowns with catchy hooks and choruses.
The band describe 'Mercury'.....
This track is a critique of toxic masculinity and a condemnation of domestic violence. It follows the story of a footy-loving macho man and the damage he inflicts on his family, addressing their socio-economic context. It critiques the damming living conditions imposed by the British state, and the cycle of violence that this creates.
Welcome to the underground world of Small Miracles, a dynamic New Wave quintet from Cardiff. Drawing inspiration from the early New Wave movement of the late 70s, Small Miracles infuse elements of Punk, Glam and Grunge into their genre-bending sound. Their music has a distinctly retro feel, finely balancing heavy grooves and breakdowns with catchy hooks and choruses to relay their bold, queer message.
Small Miracles comprise of Finn Pelling (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Jim Webster (keys, organ), Steve Kenward (lead guitar), James Sarson (bass) and Lucas Eldridge (drums). Their eclectic array of influences include New Wave staples Blondie, Talking Heads and The Cure, as well as Pixies, Queens of the Stone Age and Idles in their heavier moments. Small Miracles' lastest single 'Mercury' will be released on the 19th of May via Dirty Carrot Records.
The book, 20 Radical Steps to Welsh Independence: By first decolonising our minds , is a self-help guide, giving the reader various examples and actions to transform the way the reader thinks about Wales. Jim has worked in 21 independent countries and uses that experience to show how things need to change in Wales. Jim and Jen say: “There’s a well-researched process called ‘decolonisation’. Every independent country has to go through decolonisation. Every individual citizen has to go through decolonisation – for example, going from being a colonised, ‘passive spectator’ to ‘taking action’ as a decolonised person. Many of these attitudes and beliefs are unconscious. This book enables you to identify all 20 of them and to liberate yourself from them all.”
The book gives true stories, from the drowning of Tryweryn to housing and planning developments for your local area, giving ideas on ‘What can you do?’ yourself, and what can work in practice. There are also inspiring examples from throughout the world, including messages from the lives of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. The book also suggests ways of dealing with incomers and tourists in Wales, and has useful facts and statistics about thriving independent nations much smaller than Wales.
The authors and campaigners Jim Wingate and Jen Llywelyn both have Welsh-speaking forebears. They were born in Cheltenham, Gloucester, and moved back to Cymru in 1997. Jim is a storyteller. He travels to Bavaria regularly to work in schools with pupils and teachers. Jen is author and editor of many books on Welsh culture; she has learned Cymraeg, and has spoken/written on Welsh independence on radio, television, and in newspapers. After 20 years in Ceredigion, Jim and Jen now live in northern Pembrokeshire.
‘Thank You’ is the latest release from the Cardiff-based band, My Name is Ian . The track is set to be released on May 12th and is a tribute to the people who have supported them over the years, drug smuggling, Stephen Mulhern and falling in love.
‘Thank You’, is the first track from the band’s upcoming 8th studio album: ‘ GO BANANAS GO BANANAS GO BANANAS GO BANANAS GO BANANAS’ . The record will be full of the trademark blend of catchy pop melodies, witty lyrics, and infectious energy. Songs about hating your life, loving your life, Norwegian families, coconut crabs, 90s television shows, feeling like a loser, not trusting the government and Peppa pig. There is something for everyone.
Impressively prolific and prolifically impressive, bittersweet but unbroken, My Name Is Ian require your immediate attention.
Cardiff Queers 'TELGATE' release brand new official music video for blistering new single 'Gammon' . A glam rock-guitar driven thunderbolt that's a good old fashioned fuck off in the face of all things right-wing. An exhilarant musical statement towards the current state of the British nation.
With crashing drums and atmospheric 70's fuzz-wah guitar; 'Gammon' hypnotises with a triumphant return to form for a band that are destined for a huge future. ' Gammon' is exactly what the rest of us are thinking, and a sincere anthem for change.
With a duty to start riots in 6’’ platforms, expect fierce androgyny and in-your-face performances along with music which is unapologetically queer, loud, and honest from Aggro-Glam band, TELGATE. Their major musical influences include early psychedelia, glam rock, post punk, and riot grrrl. Paint your lips red and prepare to fall in lust with the queerest side of rock and roll.
TELGATE stand out with their dramatic performances, androgynous looks, incendiary rock and roll sound and outspoken message. They are known for taking live shows that one step further, really drawing in the attention of the crowd with their theatrics and intimately engaging with the audience. The more bizarre the better, they take pride in their shows being an experience to remember.
Through using their platforms to speak up on trans liberation, collaborating with the likes of local drag acts, LGBT musicians and artists at their shows - TELGATE have also contributed towards pioneering a scene of queer grassroots music in South Wales.
The band released their singles ‘Cherrytight’ in 2019 and ‘Love Zone’ in 2021 which were met with an array of airplay, inciting Adam Walton of BBC Wales to describe lead singer Casper's voice as one that is “soon to become iconic”.
In 2022 TELGATE independently organised a UK mini-tour, played Focus Wales festival, headlined London kink nights along with sold-out headlines in England and Wales which drew in eccentric and
energetic crowds.
Within this same year, TELGATE released a charity album (New Moons XVI) with the music federation in collaboration with fellow badass LGBT bands and women in rock such as Nova Twins, Amyl and The Sniffers and KT Tunstall for Reclaim These Streets which received acclaim from NME, Kerrang, Louder and more.
Following a busy year of gigging, TELGATE returned to the studio in Summer 2022 to record their next single “Gammon” - a gritty musical protest to the political climate of the UK set to be released April 1st 2023.
TELGATE kicked off 2023 with a sellout headline upstairs in Clwb Ifor Bach, followed by a sold out show at Rough Trade East (London) which was recorded for the BBC, who have awarded TELGATE with the 2023 BBC Horizons launchpad fund to record new music this year. To celebrate their new music video release on April 20th, they will be headlining The Globe (Cardiff), and will also be headlining the Saturday night of All Roads Festival (Glastonbury) in April. In May they will be performing at Focus Wales Festival (Wrexham) followed by a May U.K. tour with Canadian art-punk duo, Grimelda who released a collaborative single with TELGATE called “Freedom” in February 2023.
FFO: Pavlov’s Dog, The Distillers, Concrete Blonde, L7, Hole, Joan Jett, Pearl Jam, The Stooges, Deep Purple, Jane’s Addiction.
Cardiff-based singer-songwriter Ivan Moultannounces the release of his new single'Written On The Wall’, taken from hisupcoming album 'Songs From SevernGrove'. The single is set to be released onMay 5th.Following on from his last single, ‘Out OfTime’, Moult’s latest offering showcases hisunique blend of indie-folk, soulful vocals andpoignant lyrics that delve into themes of love,loss and hope.
Speaking about the single, Moult said: "Lyrically a song about having a conversation with a new partner about their previous lovelife/partners. Acknowledging their experience. Questioning whether or not you want to or need to know their romantic past. Trying to reassure them things w
be different. Observing it’s apparent in other ways without needing to be discussed.” ‘Songs From Severn Grove’, which is due out on May 26th, showcases Ivan's voice front and centre, with layered harmonies and a soundscape of delay-soaked electric guitars, drums, and bass.
The music draws from influences such as J.J. Cale, Nina Simone, and Tim Buckley, creating a fusion of 1960s/70s folk and blues with a contemporary sound. Ivan's unique and original style remains recognisably present throughout the album.
Pre-order the album on Vinyl and CD here: bit.ly/IvanMoult-SF7G
Pre-save the album: orcd.co/IvanMoult-SF7G
“Absolutely wonderful. Just gorgeous.”- Janice Long, BBC Radio Wales
“Effortless acoustic songwriting...”- Clash Magazine
“...beautiful guitar playing matched with touching vocals”- For Folk’s Sake
“... beautiful orchestration and affecting subject matter”- Americana UK
“...the bar is still being raised”- Buzz Magazine
Tom Emlyn announces his new album ‘Return Journey Revisited: Scaredycat Vol 15’ released on the 5th of May.
Swansea-born songwriter Tom Emlyn vividly depicts why he is one of the most prolific and inventive songwriters emerging songwriters in Wales, with his new album ‘Return Journey Revisited: Scaredycat Vol 15’ released on the 5th of May. Recorded in 2018 and mastered by Charlie Francis ( R.E.M., Pixies ). A treasure trove of recordings dating back to 2016, 2017, and 2018, these songs offer a window into the sheer scope of Emlyn's songwriting talent, his captivating songs uniquely exploring the particularity and peculiarity of human experience.
Featuring his gorgeous recent singles ‘ Broken Mirror ’ - a heartfelt and poetic ballad of lost love, watch the video here , and ‘ Like a Cigarette ’ inspired by his days busking outside a cafe in Frankfurt acting as a living and breathing earworm that charts his travels around Europe and Germany in 2017. Plus forthcoming third single ‘It doesn’t bother me’ . Compared to Bob Dylan or Elliott Smith , Tom Emlyn’s sound, while rooted in garage rock, is tinged with psychedelia, folk, jazz, and blues overtones - including a recent adoption of the harmonica as a lead instrument.
Tom explains “ Abandoned work is a normal part of the music-making process, but I felt these songs deserved a second chance. I also wanted to release it as a (small) protest against certain smoke-and-mirrors aspects of the music industry. People will tell you to wait and wait, hold back all of your material for the "right time". I can't do that anymore; for me, a song is only new when it's just been written, although it can be remade in live performance. I find it quite agonising to sit on this material for so many years. I'll be thirty in 2023. That's why I want to get this sizeable backlog of unheard material out there, so I can move on to new things, and that's why this is the third album I've released in a year.”
“There were many people involved in these tracks - different engineers, studios, producers, and musicians in Swansea and Cardiff. I think the album has a unified feel despite being a bunch of stuff that was recorded in various studios and spaces, before being rescued from the cutting-room floor. It's a bit of a lighter, ironic affair, full of magic realism and surreal images of the natural world, half-acoustic and half-electric, with an eclectic, eccentric, sprawling feel. Scraped from the bottom of a very deep barrel - but somehow holding together .”
Tom Emlyn crafts honest, swirling evocative songs; tall tales, and dark jokes that cut straight to the bone. His current solo work maps an alternative Southwalian landscape, a hallucinated community drawn from psychogeography and local history. Written on foot and by bus, his observational, poetic lyrics and simple 60s-folk-influenced melodies explore what it means to belong to a place - the bitterness, the love and the humour. “The truth is, all of my music is one long song - constantly flowing from inner worlds and mysterious, unknown places.” He reveals “ Songwriting is like a diary for me, and it's time to share Return Journey Revisited: Scaredycat Vol 1. with you. It might be a slightly imperfect document, but I think it's all the better for it.”
In summer 2022, Tom released his debut solo album ‘News From Nowhere’, a bittersweet love letter to his hometown of Swansea, described by Adam Walton (BBC Radio Wales) as a record of "undoubted brilliance, eloquence and energy" . It has been positively received, with airplay and support from Radio Wales, BBC Horizons, R.E.P.E.A.T. fanzine, God Is In The TV, and Joyzine, among others. Tom's second album ‘I've Seen You In Town’ followed hot on the heels of the first - a more mellow, acoustic affair which was also well received. He also released the ‘Scounger EP’ on Bandcamp this February. He is currently promoting these records with intimately explosive solo and band performances across Wales and beyond, with a string of releases planned for 2023.
Tour dates
22nd April - The Moon, Cardiff
4th-6th May - Focus Wales, Wrexham
12th May - Dyddiau Du, Cardiff (solo to promote new album)
20th May - Second 45 record shop Llanelli (solo to promote new album)
27th May - in it together festival Margam
16th June - Cwrw, Camarthen
17th June - Cwrw (solo record shop in-store to promote new album)
17th June - Elysium, Swansea (to promote new album)
12th August - Brecon Jazz/Fringe festival
6th October - Hippos, Swansea
https://tomemlyn.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/tom_emlyn
https://www.instagram.com/tomemlyn/
After the success of her single ‘i ti’, a song that announced a new beginning and a new creative chapter for Gillie we are excited to unveil its follow up the mesmerising yet quietly brooding ‘Llawn’.
Blending gold-flecked guitar loops into an ambient haze on top of relentless driving rhythms, Gillie harnesses the anxieties, stress and struggles of modern life, weaving them into something unapologetic and inherently intimate.
CYMRAEG
ENGLISH
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