Croeso! Welcome to CLASH’s monthly roundup of new Welsh music. Here, we showcase the best recent releases from emerging artists in Wales. This month's collection is especially vibrant and lively. From airy indie-gaze to skillful spiritual jazz, with one intense track thrown in for good measure, this selection invites you to enjoy the many pleasures of a Welsh summer.
First, let’s recap some musical events that took place across the country last month. Huge congratulations to the many fantastic emerging Welsh artists who performed at Glastonbury this year, including Mali Hâf, Lemfreck, Aduja, and Mari Mathias. The festival season has also taken hold in Wales, with Swansea hosting the wonderful Welsh-language festival Gŵyl Tawe, featuring artists such as Gruff Rhys and Adwaith. Tiny Rebel’s Rebel Fest brought together the best of Welsh music for a weekend takeover at the Tiny Rebel brewery in Newport. In Cardiff, the Music Conference unified the city’s growing MOBO scene for a weekend of discussions and performances, with well-known streamer and DJ AG making an appearance outside Cardiff Castle, attracting almost every rapper and vocalist in the city to join in on the mic during an electrifying afternoon.
Cardiff is also in the midst of ‘big gig’ season, boasting a new expansive venue, the 35,000-capacity Blackweir Fields. Along with these recent events and the Principality Stadium hosting the opening dates of the Oasis reunion tour, the city has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors just this past week.
Although summer typically sees a quieter release schedule, the following releases—aside from one outstanding EP—highlight a specific aspect of Welsh music; the sunniest, most elemental, and delightful side that reflects the beauty of the nation’s vast landscapes and its warm-hearted nature. We hope you enjoy this month’s selections as much as we do.
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The Bug Club – ‘Very Human Features’
It may seem unusual to list a band signed to the renowned US label Sub Pop among emerging Welsh artists, but The Bug Club was always going to top our June roundup. Originating from the small East Walian town of Caldicot, this trio has blossomed into a charmingly whimsical garage-indie powerhouse in the early 2020s. ‘Very Human Features’ is their second full-length release for Sub Pop (they typically release one album a year) and features another series of quirky, upbeat tracks with amusing lyrics that possess layers of emotional depth, ready to surprise you. A delightful contribution from a true modern cult band.
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Amanda Whiting – ‘Can You See Me Now?’
This column is a fan of Amanda Whiting. She released a beautiful Christmas mini-album late last year, and her full-length album ‘The Liminality of Her’ is also a standout jazz project for 2024. Signed to the fantastic London jazz/hip-hop label First Word Records, her newest EP ‘Can You See Me Now?’ features six fresh, laid-back tracks filled with soul and emotion. Few British artists are currently producing spiritual jazz like this, exemplified by the thoughtfully crafted ‘What Is It We Need?’, featuring experienced UK soul singer Alice Russell. This is yet another accomplishment for the prolific Amanda Whiting, who is quickly becoming a notable figure in the Welsh jazz scene.
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Cyn Cwsg – ‘Pydru yn yr Haul’
Among the many Welsh musical traditions, few are as significant as the Welsh indie-psych lineage. Its roots trace back to the earliest ‘alternative’ Welsh acts, primarily producing Welsh-language recordings for Sain Records in the 60s and 70s, leading to the national successes of Super Furry Animals and Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci in the 90s and 00s. Today, many prominent young acts have embraced this colorful and quirky style, with Cardiff's Cyn Cwsg being one of the most accomplished. Produced by Tom Rees of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, this five-track EP features stunning production, layered with soft guitars (including alt-country-style lap steel on ‘Rhwng Dau Gwmwl’) and Beach Boys-like harmonies on ‘Diarhebion’. The English-language track ‘Only Time’ is also impressive; a sun-soaked indie anthem full of massive guitars and catchy vocal hooks. A confident, charming, and distinctly Welsh EP.
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Only Fools & Corpses – ‘Western Standards For The Ensuing Apocalypse’
Have you ever heard sharp, existential noise-punk influenced by Americana from Swansea? Likely not, so give this blistering new EP from the Swansea trio Only Fools & Corpses a listen. One of Wales’ most exhilarating and innovative rock bands in recent years, they have captured the essence of the Wild West in all its violent, Cormac McCarthy-esque brilliance on the brilliantly titled ‘Western Standards For The Ensuing Apocalypse’. There's plenty of gold to discover here, including the
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Croeso! Welcome to CLASH's monthly roundup of the latest Welsh music. In this segment, we explore the best new releases from up-and-coming artists in Wales. It’s a