Huw Marc Bennett's Heol Las: A Cosmic Reimagining of Welsh Folk Traditions
Traditional music from south Wales has rarely ventured into such cosmic realms as it does under the creative direction of Huw Marc Bennett. The producer and multi-instrumentalist's third album, titled Heol Las (which translates to Blue Street), takes age-old tunes from the historic county of Glamorgan and immerses them in a rich tapestry of languid arrangements. This region, famed for its industrial heritage in coal and steel production as well as its picturesque hills and rugged coastline, provides the perfect backdrop for Bennett's innovative sonic explorations.
Bennett masterfully infuses these traditional melodies with a diverse array of global influences, including woozy doses of surf rock and the exotic twang of sitars. The result is a captivating auditory journey that feels both timeless and strikingly contemporary.
A Journey from Valleys to Coastline
As Heol Las unfolds, it transports listeners from the industrial valleys to the serene Gower peninsula, thrumming with an energy that mirrors the landscape's inherent beauty. The album opens with Carol Haf (Summer Carol), which begins with gentle pastoral fingerpicking before a dynamic drumbeat propels the tune into a guitar solo reminiscent of a meditative raga.
Cân y Saer Maen (Stonemason's Song) builds a similar heavy magic through the intricate interplay of fuzzy organ tones and both acoustic and electric guitars. A deep, doomy bass note introduces a dramatic shift, as Seth Bye's fiddles weave contrapuntal layers into the mix, thickening the heady atmosphere.
Synth-Driven Soundscapes and Psychedelic Flourishes
Synthesiser-driven tracks like Cân Gwasael (Wassail Song) and Yr Abaty (The Abbey) evoke the eerie, nostalgic feel of lost library-music theme tunes from spooky children's television dramas. Gwenith Gwyn 1837 (White Wheat 1837) marries the melancholic tones of a forlorn chapel organ with the soothing sound of cascading rain, creating a hauntingly beautiful soundscape.
Y Fedwen (The Birch) stands out as a particularly sparkling track, resembling a radio-friendly nugget of lost psychedelia from the iconic Sain Records era. This piece showcases Bennett's ability to blend accessibility with deep artistic innovation.
Bridging Centuries and Generations
In a momentous collaboration, Bennett laces together two tunes originally transcribed by the 18th-century Welsh bard Iolo Morganwg, set against Yusuf Ahmed's crunchy, rhythmic drumming. The stunning vocalist Angela Christofilou adds lyrics inspired by a deeply personal family milestone: Bennett's nieces are the first generation in his family to experience Welsh-medium education.
Christofilou sings, "Dyma ei geirau ni / Llais yfory / Gadewch i mi chwarae / I bod yn rhydd", which translates to "these are our words, the voice of tomorrow, let me play, and be free". This poignant moment encapsulates the album's core theme, where Wales's rich past converges with its hopeful future through revitalising sounds and sentiments.
Other Notable Releases This Month
Beyond Bennett's work, this month sees several other compelling folk releases. Irish folk guitarist and singer-songwriter Joshua Burnside presents It's Not Going to Be Okay on Nettwerk, an arrestingly good album that grapples with the death of his best friend. Tracks like Nicer Part of Town, driven by simple acoustic guitar, bubble with quietly devastating imagery, while The Last Armchair uses a country-shimmered narrative to reflect on loss and memory.
Finnish duo Akkajee's Pölynkerääjä (The Dust Collector), self-released, showcases startling ambition by feeding folk stories and instruments through unusual narrators, including church bells, an abandoned house, and a decomposing body. The vocals of Meriheini Luoto and Iida Savolainen tangle like electricity around traditional instruments such as nyckelharpas, kanteles, and ocarinas.
Irish-English trio the Weaving offers a gentler bolt of magic for spring with their new album Dlúth & Inneach (Warp & Weft), also self-released. This collection brings together Méabh Begley's button accordion, Owen Spafford's fiddle, and Cáit Ní Riain's piano in tracks that glow brightly with warmth and innovation.
