Adwaith – Solas
Already two-time winners of the Welsh Music Prize, the Carmarthen band are looking to make it three from three with their latest. ‘Solas’ is an ambitious double album that builds on Adwaith’s infectious post-punk sound – described by Uncut Magazine as ‘empowered, atmospheric and celebratory’.
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Buddug – Rhwng Gwyll a Gwawr
With a title that translates as ‘between dusk and dawn’ the North Wales singer/songwriter’s debut album takes listeners on a sonic journey. Encompassing delicately fingerpicked folk, pristine pop and widescreen soundscapes, it’s an impressive achievement for an artist who only began releasing music two years ago.
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Breichiau Hir – Y Dwylo Uwchben
This Cardiff-based band deal in atmospheric, bruising alt-rock, sung completely in Welsh. ‘Y Dwylo Uwchben’ (The Hands Above) was written in Machynlleth in the heart of Mid Wales and has drawn comparisons with acts like Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky, Slowdive and Fontaines DC.
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Cerys Hafana – Difrisg
Hailing from Machynlleth, Cerys Hafana is best known as a triple harp experimentalist, using this traditional instrument to explore the outer reaches of sound. For ‘Difrisg’, their focus shifted to the piano, resulting in a collection of haunting, immersive compositions.
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Don Leisure – Tyrchu Sain
Crate-digging Cardiff producer Don Leisure’s latest is a unique Welsh music collaboration. Built with samples from the extensive back catalogue of Sain Records, Wales’ oldest independent label, ‘Tyrchu Sain’ also features guest vocals from the likes of Carwyn Ellis, Dafydd Iwan and Gruff Rhys.
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Gwenno – Utopia
A decade on from winning the Welsh Music Prize with her debut ‘Y Dydd Olaf’, Gwenno returns to the shortlist with ‘Utopia’. Though it does feature some songs in Welsh and Cornish, the record is Gwenno’s first sung primarily in English.
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Kelly Lee Owens – Dreamstate
Shape-shifting queen of electronica is another former Welsh Music Prize winner to appear on this year’s shortlist. ‘Dreamstate’ is Owens’ most dancefloor-focused album to date, sleeker and more expansive than its predecessors, with her voice front and centre on most of the tracks.
KEYS – Acid Communism
Now on their eighth album, KEYS continue to follow their own path through the wild fringes of psych rock. ‘Acid Communism’ perfectly encapsulates the band’s freewheeling spirit, bouncing effortlessly from crunchy power-pop to soft-pedal piano ballads via enveloping waves of ambient sound.
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Melin Melyn – The Mill on the Hill
Melin Melyn’s debut is a joyful psychedelic (sort of) concept album that intertwines the band’s knack for melody with their whimsical theatricality. Drawing inspiration from Welsh predecessors like Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci and Super Furry Animals, the Cardiff-based band’s sound takes in everything from prog-rock to pastoral folk.
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Panic Shack – Panic Shack
Blasting out raucous, rollicking punk rock with a hard feminist edge, Panic Shack follow the riot grrl lineage of bands like Bikini Kill and sit alongside confrontational contemporaries like Lambrini Girls. They’ve got a reputation for ferociously fun live shows, while their self-titled debut hit the top spot in the UK rock and metal chart on its release.
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Sage Todz – Stopia Cwyno
Born in Essex but and raised in North Wales, Bilingual rap sensation Sage Todz’ flow bounces seamlessly between Welsh and English. His track ‘O Hyd’ has become a sporting anthem for his adopted homeland, accompanying the Welsh football and rugby teams on trips to their respective World Cups.
Siula – Night Falls on the World
Tai Haf Heb Drigolyn – Ein Albwm Cyntaf Ni
Originally released on an ultra-limited cassette-only run, Tai Haf Heb Drigolyn’s debut album is a wonky work of lo-fi genius. Self-recorded in home studios across Mid Wales, it leans into the DIY aesthetic, shrouding its affecting noise-folk in layers of static and analogue hiss.
The Gentle Good – Elan
Winner of the 2017 Welsh Music Prize, The Gentle Good (otherwise known as singer/songwriter Gareth Bonello) returns with the rural psychedelia of ‘Elan’. Written during a year-long artistic residency at an off-grid cottage in the remote Elan Valley, it’s a musical exploration of one of Wales’ most magical landscapes.
The Tubs – Cotton Crown
Formed in Cardiff but now based in London, The Tubs’ brand of breakneck jangle pop impressed on first album ‘Dead Meat’. They’ve refined the formula for their follow up producing a record described by The Guardian as a ‘blistering, joy-to-heartbreak masterpiece’.