Croeso! Welcome to our monthly roundup of new Welsh music. In this edition, we explore the best recent releases from emerging and independent alternative artists in Wales. This month's collection is truly diverse, featuring six albums and EPs that span the musical spectrum, from sophisticated art pop to vibrant psych rock to unyielding thrash metal and more. For those immersed in its many pleasures, Welsh music is a realm of remarkable creativity and curiosity, even if we don’t always promote it as effectively as we might. This column aims to help address that.
Before diving into new releases, let’s highlight a couple of significant recent developments in Welsh music. It’s festival season, with events like Love Trails, Steelhouse, and Big Love taking place. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Big Love family following the unexpected passing of founder Stu Housley. Additionally, it’s a major gig season in the capital, where venues like Principality Stadium, Cardiff Castle, and the new Blackweir Fields site welcomed hundreds of thousands throughout July, featuring performances by Kendrick Lamar, Fontaines D.C., Alanis Morissette, Pet Shop Boys, and, of course, the first Oasis reunion shows.
July also marked the launch of a significant exhibition at Cardiff Museum focused on the history of Welsh hip-hop, curated by the esteemed Kaptin Barrett. The bilingual station Sudd announced its establishment, a genuinely exciting new online station that has already secured several fantastic (though not yet revealed) hosts. Be sure to watch for updates from them. Another noteworthy event was the sold-out Gig i Gaza at Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach, featuring Gruff Rhys, Adwaith, and Melin Melyn, which raised thousands for the Red Cross’ Gaza Crisis Appeal. The Welsh music scene has consistently voiced its support for the Palestinian people, which has been heartening to observe.
In addition to the featured releases, this month also saw exceptional new tracks from emerging artists such as Ivor Woods, Ani Glass, Mared, Sage Todz, Adefeilion, Malgola, No, Voya, and Griff Lynch.
We hope you enjoy this selection of releases from some of Wales’ most promising emerging talents in July 2025.
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Gwenno – ‘Utopia’
Though Gwenno Saunders is perhaps too established to fully fit this column’s focus, her beautiful new album ‘Utopia’ is certainly worth mentioning. This magical musical exploration of the past (what else could we expect from Gwenno?) sees her reflecting on her personal journey, bringing to light memories of youth spent in Las Vegas and London. The delicate, string-infused compositions are reminiscent of a refracted mirrorball, splintering Gwenno's experiences into ten tracks of charming, captivating, and subtly enigmatic art pop.
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Panic Shack – ‘Panic Shack’
It’s surprising to realize that ‘Panic Shack’ is the debut album from the titular Cardiff band. In the classic post-pandemic fashion that distorts time, it feels like this five-piece has been around for ages. This album demonstrates why they are so well-loved, featuring 11 tracks of sharp garage punk/new wave filled with witty, topical lyrics addressing issues such as local scene discomforts (‘SMELLARAT’), procrastination (‘Lazy’), and female camaraderie (the stirring standout ‘Thelma & Louise’).
Panic Shack stands out as one of Wales’ key emerging acts, and this full-length album, which debuted at number one on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart, highlights their incredible talent.
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KEYS – ‘Acid Communism’
Named after one of the late theorist Mark Fisher’s final essays (a concept worth exploring), KEYS, signed to Libertino Records, is among the many fantastic psych rock bands currently thriving in Wales. Their album ‘Acid Communism’ features 12 inventive, playful tracks brimming with clever rhythms (‘Fish Out Of Water’), unconventional keys (‘The Greatest Joke Of All’), trippy atmospheres (‘The Spectre’), and powerful riffs (‘What Do I Have To Do?’).
Picture a blend of every great psych band—from the Grateful Dead to Tame Impala—infused with unique Welsh indie sensibilities and grounded in intriguing theoretical influences, resulting in an irresistibly engaging album.
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Siula – ‘Night Falls on the World’
Libertino Records has had a great month, releasing not only the KEYS album but also the impressive debut from the electronic duo Siula. The pair has made waves in the Welsh music scene and festival circuit over the past couple of years, making it exciting to see their bilingual debut ‘Night Falls on the World’ come to fruition as a vibrant treat.
Similar in tone to the refined, elegant electronic pop of artists like Goldfrapp and CHVRCHES, this collection is confident and filled with emotional depth. Together with another recent great release by the rising Welsh act Tok
Justin Bieber has unexpectedly released a music video for his track ‘YUKON’, taken from his latest album 'SWAG’. The video, filmed in black-and-white and
Guedra Guedra has released a new single titled 'Tamayyurt'. The artist's upcoming album 'MUTANT' delves into various aspects of North African culture, intertwining them.
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Ela Minus has released a compilation of 'QQQQ (Remixes)'. The Colombian electronic artist unveiled her latest album, 'DÍA', through Domino earlier this year.
Sunflowers will unveil their new album titled ‘You Have Fallen… Congratulations!’ later this year. This upcoming release marks the Porto band's fifth album to date.
The Irish band Adore has announced the release of their debut EP titled 'BITER'. Scheduled to be released on September 26th through Big Scary Monsters, the EP is already generating a
Combining lush vocal harmonies with genuine emotion, charisma, and an undeniable charm, Liverpool indie pop group Hushtones radiate on their captivating, sun-soaked single, “Fragments.” In an interview with Atwood Magazine, the rapidly ascending five-piece explores themes of vulnerability and connection, as well as what to expect from their upcoming second album, ‘Wildflowers in the Mystery.’
Croeso! WELCOME to our monthly roundup of new Welsh music. In this edition, we explore the best recent releases from up-and-coming and independent alternative artists.