West Wales three piece Ysgol Sul will be self-releasing their first collection of English language songs –“Eventide”- on 30/09/17.

Brought together by a mutual love of the 90s underground, Iolo Jones (singer, guitarist), Llew Davies (drummer), Cian Owen (bass guitar), formed Ysgol Sul in 2014.

Having released several singles and an EP called “Huno”, the band has managed to earn a cult following within the Welsh language scene.

“Eventide” is a stark departure from the slacker and languor of their debut EP, and introduces a touch of darkness to the bands dreamy sound.

The EP opens with “Silhouette ” – a song with a sense of yearning yet one of the band’s jangliest songs to date. “Promise Me” sees a return to the trio’s early surfy sound, drenched in reverb. “Elsewhere” is an unholy union of haunting distant sounds and a fierce unrelenting beat. Introverted lyrics coupled with sweet harmonies are brought to the EP by “Dwell” .  Krautrock locomotive, “Solitude” , closes the collection.

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HMS Morris are a Welsh Art-Pop group that delve into the wonky, odd-ball side of psychedelia, finding the balance between bold experimentalism without giving up accessibility. ‘Morbid Mind’ and ‘Arth’ showcase the range of the band’s songwriting, sailing from a White Denim –esque fluster to melodies reminiscent of traditional Welsh folk music. ‘Morbid Mind’ explores the morbid curiosity that resides within all of us, that drives the popularity of ‘murderabilia’ and lies behind the rubbernecking instinct. The lure of the morbid can be explained as a noble desire to empathise with the unfortunate, but can also lead to obsession, insanity, even death...

‘Arth’ (Welsh for ‘Bear’), is a tribute to an animal associated in cultures around the world with spiritual strength, courage, and harmony with the cycles of the Earth. Today, as the fight intensifies to overcome the forces destroying our global communities and habitats, it seems more important than ever for us to channel the spirit of Arth. Following the success of their debut album ‘Interior Design’ the band are excited to showcase new material alongside old favourites and will be hitting the road from April.

Live Dates

June 23rd -  Chester Live, Chester
July 1st -  Gwyl Tafwyl Festival, Llandaff Fields, Cardiff.

Biography

HMS Morris are a Welsh Art-Pop group that delve into the wonky, odd-ball side of psychedelia, finding the balance between bold experimentalism without giving up accessibility. 'With an undercurrent of post-punk edginess, the group toy with colliding synthesisers and cooing vocals and still manage to create something cohesive and alluring' (Clunk).

Released in November 2016, the band's debut album 'Interior Design' is 'a real trip, a multi- dimensional sound that traipses across hitherto unexplored regions of sound' (Clash), and with an as yet untitled follow-up already in production, it seems the voyage is just getting started.

Photo credit: Rhodri Brooks

Following the critical success of their three remarkable EPs, Moxa, Cloud City and Catapelt , the union of Welsh ‘Super Producer’ Llion Robertson and classically-trained composer Seb Goldfinch as pioneering musical duo, Cotton Wolf bears the fruit of their debut, full length release. Their nine-track album, Life In Analogue , is released on 28th April by Bubblewrap Collective both digitally and on vinyl.

The pair’s return comes after two years of painstaking studio preparation, setting the dials for further public recognition after their 2015 release, ‘Moxa’, gained repeated radio play on BBC Radio One and BBC Radio 6 Music.

With 'Life in Analogue', Cottonwolf have forged 'a symphony to the conflicted love of man and machine absorbed by digitisation and a soundtrack to modern living.Actively resisting the threat of digital post-production techniques that risk deleting human presence from music entirely, Life In Analogue seeks to outlive modern trends by setting warm, human hands upon the cold levers of contemporary, electronic music. As Cotton Wolf’s first release on vinyl, their choice of format is an extension of an artistic process that manages these exhilarating, contemporary conflicts.

These dichotomies have been confronted, interpreted and now presented as the evolution of Cotton Wolf’s sound as Life In Analogue melds influences and boldly takes the baton from kindred musical spirits. Where there are traces of A Guy Called Gerald , there are hints of Massive Attack and where there is kinship with Hans Zimmer or Hans Richter there are traces of 808 State and New Order . It is all underpinned by unified elements - as effective in affecting the human heart today as they ever were - of epic classical strings, synthesised sounds and the sparing use of evocative vocals. It’s an album born equally in Cardiff as Singapore and Barcelona, with the pair responding to experiences in the streets, clubs and studios of international cities to document modern ways of living, all as uncertain as they are thrilling.

‘Glosh’ opens the album. by boldly hitting the accelerator with a driving beat, giving room for shimmering, light melodies to dance around as a counterweight.'Avalon’ follows with tight rhythms and an insistent, single-note motif on the beat punctuating the track and maintains intensity, consistency and rhythmic discipline. A sparse vocal introduces itself as an accent, another form of subtle instrumentation, rather than a focus.

Cotton Wolf’s use of the Welsh language is unapologetic and ‘Lliwiau’ (translation: Colours) employs an entirely Welsh vocal, which settles in at centre stage. All around the breathless, yet commanding vocal are strokes of scant, flickering instrumentation that brings a sense of cavernous depth to the music and fully reveals the duo’s mastery of deft minimalism.

The title track, ‘Life In Analogue’ is warped, pulsing and riven with subtle motifs that denote it as a track central to the record. Familiar touch points exist in a simple, recurring eight-note melody, which could be lifted from a blueprint used by electro pop pioneers of the 70s and 80s, a vital element of what pushed machine music into the mainstream. The same sense ‘less is more’ restraint is present in ‘Ultra Five’ as snatches of voices, perhaps children’s laughter, again forces humanity back into an electronic framework.

The soulful, vocal atmospherics of ‘Future Never’ are set within further glimmering, austere instrumentation and guided by little more than expansive, sustained synth notes. ‘While Night Grows’ closes the album with a deeply drawn, long exhale, washing over the listener with extended strings and a distant vocal, studded with a high-tempo wave of pulsing synthesiser. Holding a firm line with limited fluctuation, it ominously fades out like only half the secret has been told and there’s more, tantalisingly, to come.

Life In Analogue follows the eight tracks released via their two early EPs, the first being their 2013 debut, Catapelt, which crept into European consciousness through the support of Berlin-based electronic enthusiasts. The follow up, 2014’s ‘Cloud City’ saw the pair garner remix commissions from Gulp ( ‘Vast Space’ ) and Trwbador ( ‘Several Wolves’ ), before arriving in 2015 at their most successful release to date, the ‘Moxa’ EP.

Artist: Ani Glass
Title of EP: 'Ffrwydrad Tawel'
Release Date: 21.04.17 via Recordiau Neb

"Ffrwydrad Tawel - Through the echoes of lost industries, communities and language there is hope. Always hope."

‘Ffrwydrad Tawel’ is named after one of Wales’ leading contemporary artists Ivor Davies' major exhibition Silent Explosion/Ffrwydrad Tawel held at National Museum Cardiff in 2016. Ani Glass was inspired by his use and mix of the Welsh language, bleak colours and destruction to reflect society in Wales and was later invited to perform with him at the museum as part of this exhibition.

The ‘Ffrwydrad Tawel’ EP’s six electrifying, infectious, socially conscious electronic pop songs are a document of Ani Glass’s artistic evolution invested with grander themes. “It's about reconnecting with my language, history and culture after returning home having been away for years,” explains Ani “the songs are a snapshot of this journey of self discovery.” Recorded in Cardiff and produced by W H Dyfodol (Haydon Hughes) throughout 2016 and the early part of 2017, the songs demonstrate “the fight within yourself to address larger, more pressing themes in society whilst battling the reality of everyday life.”

Exquisite opener ‘Y Newid’ (Change) is possessed of ethereal vocal purity, Ani’s poignant intertwined refrains steeped in lyrics that chart of the rise of the unions within the working classes during the industrial revolution.Swirling with the ghosts of early Goldfrapp, interjected with a vocal sample from socialist activist (Labour councillor) Ray Davies , during his powerful speech at the Yes Cymru rally in 2014.

Released as a single last year, the industrial electro pop of ‘Y Ddawns’ (The Dance) is a rallying call for those seeking inspiration in language and art. Laura Snapes of Pitchfork said it was "a double-edged sword that's as stern as it is hopeful; music for the end of the world, and the start of a new one." While BBC Wales’s Bethan Elfyn named it “Perfect Euro Pop!”

The majesty of ‘Dal i Droi’ (Another Day), with its bubbling synths and infectious vocal hooks, might sound like Ani’s unique collision of euphoric euro pop and synth wave of the 1980s (Human League, OMD) balanced by more weighty thoughts of mortality. While the sublime ‘Geiriau’ (Words) ethereal reverb-soaked melodrama concerns Ani’s experience of leaving home, moving away/escaping to make a new life and returning years later.

Closing track ‘Cariad Cudd’ (The City Sleeps) contrasts bittersweet refrains and dancefloor beats with an urgent Welsh polemic concerned with the history of Cardiff and the South Wales Valleys. This song depicts “the cruel decline of industry and its devastating effect on communities.”

The EP comes with a booklet of Welsh/English lyrics and artwork designed and created by Ani. The ‘Ffrwydrad Tawel’ EP will be launched on the 22nd of April at Cardiff’s legendary Clwb Ifor Bach venue.

Biog

Ani Glass is the persona of Cardiff-based electronic pop musician, producer, artist and photographer, Ani Saunders. Fiercely proud of her heritage, Glass sings in her native languages Welsh and Cornish, in 2015 released her first solo material with lead single ‘Ffôl’ (Foolish) being chosen as single of the week on BBC Radio Cymru and gaining plays on BBC 6 music.

Ani is also known for her work with The Pipettes, joining in 2008 to record the Martin Rushent-produced Earth Vs. The Pipettes album. Prior to her stint with the polka-dotted pop band, Glass was in Genie Queen, managed by OMD’s Andy McCluskey. She also fronted The Lovely Wars , who recently posthumously released two singles 'Gwrthod Anghofio' (We Won't Forget) and 'Cymer Di' (Take) in celebration of Welsh Language Music Day.

Gigs

11.04 The Social – London

22.04 Clwb Ifor Bach – Caerdydd (EP launch)

28.04 Clwb y Bont – Pontypridd

07.05 Acapela - Pentyrch

23.05 Full Moon – Cardiff
26.05 Llambed Arts - Lampeter

31.05 Eisteddfod yr Urdd - Bridgend

Links

Website http://www.recordiauneb.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aniglasscymru/

Twitter https://twitter.com/AniSaunders

Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/aniglass

AmeriCymru: Helo Cai and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. Care to introduce your new album Gwaed y Cymry for our readers?

Cai: My pleasure, it's very cool to be answering questions for you. Thank you for the opportunity to talk to your readers.

Gwaed y Cymry means 'the blood of the Welsh people', and music really is the lifeblood of Wales. The idea of recording a solo album came about after being away from home for a few years. For almost four years now I've been adventuring out in the countryside and wilderness of Minnesota; camping in the forests, staying on farms with friends and family and living in small towns surrounded by lakes and forests, and I am at my happiest when I'm outside, miles from anywhere. I'm very much an outdoors person, my soul is rarely at ease when I'm inside or walking on concrete city streets. But when I'm out in the woods or next to a lake, after a day cutting firewood or fishing, the first thing I want to do is get out an instrument and make music. There's nothing better than playing an accompaniment to the nightscape. Yet music is a thing to share, and music really is alive in many ways - it wants to be shared, and it will whisper in your ear and sneak inside your head and it can drive you to do its bidding. So the music told me to put a little studio together, and for the most part it makes itself, I'm just a vehicle for the tunes. And these Welsh tunes are so old that they have gathered a lot of power. They've been jumping from generation to generation and heart to heart for so long that they have their own will to live and to continue proliferating, and they have become strong. With each new host they gain more resonance. So these are the tunes that have been wandering with me for years, with my own little spin on them. This is the sound I make when I'm out in the wild and playing for the birds. They're pieces my grandfather carried with him and used to sing to me, that I used to play out in the landscape back home, and songs I play now when I'm missing the beaches and mountains of Wales.

AmeriCymru: You are a multi-instrumentalist. What instruments do you play on the album?

Cai: On this album I used the harp, the guitar and whistle as the core of the sound, I was planning to play fiddle as well but as fate would have it I snapped a string on the first day of recording so the violin parts are played as if it were a ukulele - three stringed pizzicato chords underpinning the guitar, which had a good feel so I let fate lead me on that. There's also a pibgorn, the ancient Welsh woodwind instrument, which was made for me by the excellent piper Gafin Morgan. For the song Y Fari Lwyd I used a lot of percussion, as well. The Mari Lwyd tradition is something that happens in pubs late at night, with family and friends, after a few pints, and it's a raucous, spectacular, lively affair, so I wanted to try to capture some of the energy and chaos of a real live Mari Lwyd; I wanted the noise and clatter of a country pub full of excitement and beer, the atmosphere of the winter rain outside kept at bay by a log fire and a band of drunken musicians. So for percussion there's a washboard, a set of bottles and glasses, and I used the dining room floor and dinner table as a drum kit to give the impression of a pub full of people clapping and stamping and hammering on the bar. The harp takes the lead for most of the album, backed up by the ensemble though I've included a couple of solo harp pieces, the pibgorn takes over from time to time as does the whistle and there are a few guitar solo spots here and there, and I also sing on four of the tracks.

AmeriCymru: You currently reside in Minnesota. How did you come to relocate there? Any plans for gigs in the area or the US generally?

Cai: My wife and kids are here in Minnesota, they hail from a farming town north of Minneapolis, and I've really fallen in love with the area over the last few years. I'm playing for the Saint David's Society of Minnesota on the 4th of March, they're hosting an event in the Twin Cities for Saint David's Day focusing on the work of Meredydd Evans, who I've always been a big fan of. I'm also hoping to arrange some shows further afield in Chicago and Milwaukee soon. Ive explored a lot of Minnesota in the last few years, America is a magical place with some fantastic people and I'm chomping at the bit to get rolling and investigate the rest.

AmeriCymru: Care to tell us a little about your Welsh and musical backgrounds?

Cai: Well my grandfather sang in a male voice choir, he had a superb voice and he adored anything Welsh, so the old songs were a big part of my childhood. His family were farmers and coal miners, and of course poets and bards as well. So when I hear their language and the sounds of the harp it feels like home to me. My mother's a big fan of Jamaican music, and plays a lot of ska and calypso which I'm sure has influenced my style. Growing up my dad was always buying me folksy stuff like the Pogues and Django Reinhardt, which gave me a hunger for traditional music. In school I experimented with a broad range of styles, my taste has always varied from early jungle/drum & bass through punk and rock to classical and jazz. When I went off to music college in England I was very lucky to have been tutored by a list of big names, one of whom was the late, great Eric Roche. Eric was an acoustic genius, and he was an amazing teacher. He did a lot to influence my musical direction. For theory lectures his style was to half hyptontize the class in his soft Irish accent and implant the music theory into our subconscious minds. That way, when I need a scale or a chord I don't have to think about it, it's just there. For practical lessons he'd bring in his Lowden acoustic guitar, always set up in some strange alternate tuning, and his skills were jaw dropping - he would play a bassline, two or three guitar parts along with a melody and drum on the instrument all at the same time. He treated the guitar like an orchestra and opened my mind to new ways of playing. And I've been very lucky to have been able to watch a lot of really excellent musicians up close, so when it comes to learning a new insrument I already have a fair idea of how it will work. I've learned a lot just by watching people like Robin Huw Bowen and Gwenan Gibbard play harp. Through my travels I've encountered lots of different musical worlds, from the vibes that the Jamaican and Indian immigrants brought to Britain and the Welsh Gypsy harping tradition to the music that Indonesian and African friends introduced to me when I was living in Holland. The way I perceive music has a lot to do with my mother's indigenous roots which are in northern Scandinavia, and through the work of Sámi musicians like Áillohaš and Mari Boine I've come to see music as something spiritual and much deeper than just a form of entertainment - for me it's more than a pass-time, it's an act of worship and a sacred medicine as well.

AmeriCymru: You formerly played with Welsh band Calan. How would you describe your experience with them?

Cai: Working with Calan was an awesome experience. They're such a very talented group of musicians and wonderful people, and we got to play the music we love in some supreme venues. Recording at Sain's legendary studios was an absolute privilege, and working alongside Maartin Alcock as producer was a massive honor, not to mention Paul Burgess of 10cc fame who played drums for us on the first album. The show that sticks in my mind as my favorite was on a tour in Italy - we were out in the countryside, the venue was a little stage looking out over a tiny village and a backdrop of steep wooded mountains, the day had been very hot and we'd been fed home-cooked Italian food with local wine and cheese and we played our show watching the sun setting behind the hills with a cool breeze in our faces. Playing at the Lorient Interceltique festival in Brittany was a lot of fun, too - one day we were invited to play at a party in the mayor's mansion, where we were filled with salmon, caviar and fine champagne before playing for the movers and shakers in a great, chandeliered marble hall; that was a pretty swanky gig. And then there were the small venues all around Wales with cozy atmospheres where it felt like the audience was all family, those were very happy times. And the audience we gathered are so enthusiastic and appreciative, the fans gave us a great deal of encouragement and inspiration. Making music with Calan was truly joyful. Most importantly, playing with Calan gave me the chance to give something back to Wales, and before Calan came along there was a perception of Welsh music as being kinda slow and sleepy and it was great to be able to show the world that's not the case.

AmeriCymru: Who are your favourite Welsh musicians/bands at the moment?

Cai: Right now I'm loving Elfen - a new trio I haven't yet met who have just put out a record called March Glas which has been going round and round my head for a couple of weeks. New on the scene is also Kizzy Meriel, a solo singer/songwriter act I'm really enjoying, and Patric from Calan is working with a new group named Vrï who are putting out some fantastic stuff. Of course I'm following Calan with glee - their new material is just brilliant, and last year I went to see them play in southern Minnesota when they were touring the States and was pleased to meet the new members and see the line up gels really well. Angharad from Calan has been doing beautiful work with her mother, the harpist Delyth Jenkins, under the name DnA (as in Delyth'n' Angharad). I'm very excited to see what all these guys come out with in the future.

AmeriCymru: What's next for Cai ab Alun? Any new recordings in the works?

Cai: I'm currently looking into starting a show on public access radio, focusing on Welsh music but not exclusively, and maybe there'll be some comedy thrown into the mix. Alongside that I'd like to set up some Welsh language classes, because the language is an important part of the culture and it would be very good to help reconnect the Welsh diaspora here with their roots. I'm beginning work on another album now, and for the next one I'll be adding some new instruments to the line up, though I'll be drawing on the same inspiration as before I'd like to open up some new horizons and augment the sound I've crafted with something more. I'm hearing drums, a double bass and perhaps accordion too. I'm adding flute and recorder to my wind section, I'd love to get hold of a crwth and I may do some experimentation with tuned percussion like steel pans and xylophone. There are lots of tunes and songs I wanted to do for this first album but I felt some of my absolute favorite pieces deserve to be given more considration, a little more rumination and some additional colors on my palette. I'd love to try collaborating with a couple of other musicians over the internet, as well - with modern technology it would be easy to do a duet with someone on the other side of the world and that could be fun. So I am planning to make a lot more music in the next few years.

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?

Cai: Only that I'm looking forward to getting out there and meeting a new audience here in the States!

Listen to  "Tough day for the Trains"  

...

John MOuse releases “Tough day for the trains” His first new material since the release of “The Death of John MOuse” back in 2015, which received plays and plaudits from BBC Radio 6, Radio Wales, and XFM. In “Trains”, John sympathises and tackles the big questions again, this time, the rail service. “Trains” also features some guest vocals from John’s children Maggie and Gruffydd.

John MOuse Selected Press & Praise

...

“The blend of unpredictability, wit and sharp reminiscence contained within is the real joy of this latest offering by this highly original artist… a Welsh indie pop hero… reminiscent of a South Wales David Gedge” Louder Than War

“A Welsh Weezer… arty and not afraid of whopping melodies” The Line Of Best Fit

“Possibly our favourite new football record” Steve Lamacq on ‘I Was A Goalkeeper’

“An extraordinary piece of poetry” Mary Anne Hobbs on ‘Robbie Savage’.

“There is only one John MOuse” Tom Robinson    

www.facebook.com/ JohnMOuseMusic

www.twitter.com/johnmousemusic

....

We are extremely pleased and proud to announce that Distinguished Concerts International have made available a pair of tickets for the forthcoming Karl Jenkins concert in New York  at the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall  on Sunday, January 15th, 2017. The concert will feature a performance of 'Cantata Memoria For the Children of Aberfan (US Premiere)'. Read our interview with Karl Jenkins here

We are offering these tickets as a QUIZ PRIZE on Americymru!

Just answer the three easy quiz questions below ( answers can all be found on Wikipedia ) and send them to us at americymru@gmail.com ( all email addresses will be deleted when the competition closes ). We'll throw all the entries in a hat and pick the winner! Please email us by Sunday, January 8th, 2017 no later than 9 PM ( Pacific Time ). Tickets will be ready at will call on 1/15 at the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall; the winner will just need to bring a photo ID.

Only one entry per email address is permitted. Duplicates will be disqualified. You do not need to be an AmeriCymru member or logged into the site in order to enter this competition.

Karl Jenkins Quiz

1. What are Karl Jenkins middle names?
2. When is Karl's birthday and what year was he born?
3. At which Welsh university did Karl study music?

Electronic producer Conformist releases his new album “Lifestyle Bible” on the 28th of October 2016 through Consumer Consumer records. It's preceded by lead single “Komputer Jenerated”.

Adventurous Cardiff based Electronic producer Conformist (aka Michael Simmons), releases his astounding second album “Lifestyle Bible” this winter. Following up upon and building upon his critically acclaimed debut album “Paid to Fake It” which crash landed back in 2013.

With “Lifestyle Bible” Simmons delivers a breathtaking yet concise album, fresh and ahead of the pack. Each of the 8 songs on “Lifestyle Bible” are meticulously pieced together creating a dense and layered collage of sounds; stuffed to the gills with unique samples sourced from a hoarded stockpile, revealing hidden detail with every listen.

‘Lifestyle Bible’ was written, recorded and produced by Conformist during 2014-2016. The album was mastered by Jerome Schmitt ( Alt-J, Diplo, Mr Scruff ) at The AirLab and will be released on CD and digital formats on Conformists’ own Consumer Consumer Records label. As a producer Simmons takes inspiration from Public Enemy's Bomb Squad and cut n' paste pioneers Coldcut, Steinski and The Dust Brothers and whose imaginative work has been compared to everyone from the Art of Noise to the Avalanches and Aphex Twin .

'Lifestyle Bible' channel hops through genres from the DIY-Industrial sample board of “Rock N’ Roll Dead Man” , to lead single "Komputer Jenerated" a crunchy smash n' grab dose of warped electro, that chews up Atari Teenage Riot and Kraftwerk , through the skittering Electronic mental-meltdown of “Life! Death! Prizes!” to the Vangelis- on-Acid album closer of “Nothing Important Happened Today.” The album is littered with playful stabs and homage to Punk, Hip Hop, Techno and a vast array of other genres that are all filtered through and reassembled to bring to life Simmons’s unique vision.

‘Paid to Fake’ it Press quotes:
"Paid To Fake It is the sort of record that will take your breath away...7/10" The 405
a musically kaleidoscopic head f**k...brilliant” Louder Than War
“a cluster-f**k of awesomeness” The Music Mag
“a head-spinning deluge of audacious beats and samples...staggering" Wales Online

CaStLeS release their new single 'Amcanu' on the 4th of November , it’s followed by their debut album 'Fforesteering' on the 18th of November 2016

North Walian trio CaStLeS craft music that swirls between the sounds of Os Mutantes, Ennio Morricone and the mountains of Snowdonia: theirs is a unique sonic brew delightful voodoo grooves laced with psych riffs and hypnotic reverb soaked melodies.

CaStLeS debut self produced album ‘Fforesteering’ was recorded on a Zoom 16-track digital recorder inside a static caravan at guitarist and vocalist Cynyr’s home in Ceunant, high up in the hills of Snowdonia. Splicing together elements of surf guitar music, kraut-rock grooves, and hypnotic psych-tinged Cymru vocal harmonies, CaStLeS craft a unique sound and they might just be your favourite new Welsh guitar band.

Fforesteering is a continuation of the themes of 'PartDepart' EP which was released at the tail end of 2015, inspired and possessed by by the North Walian landscape and the location of the caravan within which it was recorded, many songs brought to life simply by being out and about in the country. The band say of the recordings: “nature is a place of comfort and reflection, to retreat to and hide from it all at times, as a subject, it can be used as an analogy to human society and our own personal nature.”

Formed in Snowdonia, Wales back in 2008 by brothers Dion and Cynyr Hamer, after various musical manifestations as a duo, they were joined by Derwyddon Dr Gonzo bassist Calvin Thomas. Early demo releases received radio plays on BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio Wales & Cymru as well as a TV appearance on S4C.

CaStLeS took a brief hiatus in 2011 whilst Cynyr and Dion were touring Europe and America with Welsh rock band We Are Animal. During this time CaStLeS were writing new material. In early 2015 the band released two Welsh language singles a week apart. Argau and Ar Agor were positively received and resulted in the band being asked to record a radio session for BBC Radio Cymru's C2 show and a live performance on S4C TV's Ochr 1.

These releases along with their debut EP 'PartDepart' as well as a live reputation earned by travelling up and down the country. Earned CaStLeS their debut performance on the BBC Introducing stage in August 2016 at Reading & Leeds Festival.

Dates

Swn Festival - 22/23rd of October

CaStLeS 'Fforesteering album launch" w/ Ani Glass, Winter Coat, Conformist at The Moon Club, Cardiff- 15th November

Links

https://www.castlesofficial.com" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.castlesofficial.com&source=gmail&ust=1476985899838000&usg=AFQjCNH4lBjfHtVo1Xmov1wsOhDKRtLMQQ"> https://www.castlesofficial. com

https://www.facebook.com/ Cestyll

https://www.twitter.com/ Cestyll

CaStLeS's debut album 'Fforesteering' out November 18th https://t.co/I2S2lumACV pic.twitter.com/YWUlY9cP9o

— americymru (@americymru) October 19, 2016