An English speaker’s guide to Cymraeg pop music

Do you love the Super Furries, Manics and Charlotte Church (only her newer stuff, mind)? Everyone knows the land of song has ridiculously talented bands of all kinds, but unless you’ve investigated the other, Cymraeg side of this world, you’ve really been missing out.

My discovery of Cerddoriaeth Cymreig was the most rewarding part of starting to explore my own Welshness as a teenager, but it almost happened accidentally. Aged 12 I found myself in bottom set for Welsh, taught by a teacher who had absolutely no ability to keep the class under control. And so chairs thrown around the classroom were a fairly regular event. Half the students didn’t even pretend to listen to his lessons.

At the time my shyness and I suppose, sensitivity made me incredibly uncomfortable in these lessons. So I decided I’d work my way up to top set.

When I arrived in the new classroom, I quickly started to love the language, and took up the chance to join the school’s trip to the Urdd’s Glan Llyn activity centre in Bala. This was my first time in North Wales and it opened my eyes to the other Waleses that existed outside the capital and Barry where my family are from.

I wanted to see more, so I convinced my family to go youth hostelling in Bangor and Borth for our summer holiday. Then, when looking around one of the castle gift shops, I picked up an album by the folk band Gwerinos.

Around the same time I was attending a youth club where one of the leaders played in bands, and introduced me to Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci. From there on there was only more to explore…

So here’s 4 artists who to me are an essential starting point for discovering Welsh language music.

Gorky’s Zygtotic Mynci

Rightly considered back in the 90s as child prodigies, I don’t think I’m going too far in calling them the Beatles of Wales. Although never superstars, most contemporary Welsh artists interested in the local scene will cite them as a big influence.

Their mix of sugary melodies and noisy experimentation was something not really going on in English language music in Wales at the time. I was very lucky to catch them live at St David’s Hall in 2005 before they parted ways, but most of them remain active, including of course frontman Euros Childs who seems to be constantly releasing new albums.

Start with: How I long to feel that summer

Y Cyrff

When I first heard this band they sounded to me like the Husker Du of Welsh music. Best known for their punk anthem “Cymru, Lloegr and Llanrwst”, parts of the band later went on to form part of Catatonia.

Influenced by bands like The Clash, any punk fan will enjoy their lofi, melancholic sound.

Start with: Self-titled compilation.

Datblygu

Born under the fire of Thatcherism and trailblazers of the punk movement, titles like “Dim deddf, dim eiddo” (no statue, no property” and Can i Gymry, a satirical take on the long-standing S4C show, give you a feel for their politics.

Start with: Self-titled compilation.

Sibrydion

Formed by two members from Big Leaves, who were contemporaries of the Furries and Catatonia, this is really fun melodic rock. But only deemed worthy of recognition by the Guardian when they released their English album Campfire Classics.

Start with: Jigcal