Show #2577: Saturday 20th January 2024 - Emyr Glyn Williams / AnkstMusik Playlist / WRKHOUSE
Show #2577: Saturday 20th January 2024 - Emyr Glyn Williams / AnkstMusik Playlist / WRKHOUSE
Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales, Sat 20th January 2024: Tribute to Emyr Glyn Williams / David Wrench Pays Tribute / AnkstMusik Playlist / WRKHOUSE - The Long Song / Reem Muhammed selects…
Listen again via BBC Sounds here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001vj0q
PLEASE NOTE: This isn’t an official BBC / BBC Wales post. All words / opinions expressed here are my own.
This week’s programme centres around tributes to Emyr Glyn Williams - Emyr Ankst, to many of us - who died on 17th January 2024.
It would be impossible to overstate the importance of Emyr Glyn Williams to contemporary Welsh music. When he and his compadres - Alun Llwyd and Gruffudd Jones - founded Recordiau Ankst at Aberystwyth University in 1988, they changed expectations and perceptions of Welsh music, made it an international and progressive concern… building on the stepping stones put down by Recordiau Anhrefn.
Ankst released music that was unashamedly Welsh, contemporary and original in its vision. This at a time when the prejudices of the UK music press were writ large in patronising jokes, ‘Cwm Dancing’ etc. The quality of Ankst’s early releases - the urgent sonic and lyrical poetry of Datblygu, for example - demanded respect and appreciation… inarguably great twisted leftfield pop music, at the crest of anything that was happening elsewhere in UK / Europe / the States.
Ankst became an enabler, champion and outlet for many of Wales’ finest creative sonic minds: amongst them, Super Furry Animals, Llwybr Llaethog, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, David Wrench, Melys, Tystion, Topper, the aforementioned Datblygu et al. And that’s a significant ‘et al’.
Emyr was a key part of Ankst’s evolution, and when his partners at the label decided to concentrate on management - rather than releasing music - Emyr followed his heart, continuing to release music with the AnkstMusik imprint from 1998 onwards, but as a continuation of the principles that had defined Ankst thus far: artistic integrity; celebrating vision over compliance; taking bristling Welsh culture to an international audience.
Understandably much of the focus in the week since Emyr’s death has been on his part in the stories of Super Furry Animals, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci and Catatonia. I wanted to pay particular tribute to the music he released on AnkstMusik since 1998. In an age when a lot of music has gravitated towards a commercial-sounding norm, there’s a salutary lesson in the utter thrilling and uncompromising originality of AnkstMusik’s catalogue.
Nothing on AnkstMusik was recorded with synch deals in mind or to sound good on TikTok.
Throughout the thirty years I’ve been making music programmes in Wales, Emyr has been a friendly and inspiring presence. Music and film were at his very core. He was as much of an artist as those he represented.
I liked him very much and Wales is so much poorer for the loss of his taste, enthusiasm, energy and deep love for the artists he released.
My love and condolences to his family who have lost significantly more.
THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST
Datblygu - 'Cân i Gymry'
Cardigan
http://ankstmusik.bandcamp.com
Das Koolies - 'Masters of Mankind (Radio Edit)'
Cardiff
http://daskoolies.co.uk
Monet - 'Sticky Wheel [radio edit]'
Swansea
http://linktr.ee/monetbanduk
Rio 18 - 'Cachetón'
Benllech / Cardiff
http://carwynellis.bandcamp.com
Lila Zing - 'la di da'
Llyn Peninsula
http://lilazing.com
Bryde - 'But I Come Back Down'
Milford Haven / London
http://facebook.com/brydeofficial
Elkka - 'Passionfruit ft. John Caroll Kirby'
Cardiff
Chroma - 'Girls Talk [2024]'
Pontypridd
http://chroma.band
Florence Black - 'Bed of Nails'
Merthyr Tydfil
http://Facebook.com/florenceblackUK
Gruff Rhys - 'Bad Friend'
Bethesda / Cardiff
http://gruffrhys.com
Ify Iwobi - 'Monsoon Szn ft. B-LAKE & Mr Five'
Swansea
http://ifyiwobimusic.co.uk
Ogun - 'Set Pace ft. MANLIKEVISION & Mirari'
Newport
http://facebook.com/andrew.ogun.9
Buddug - 'Two Way Street'
Llanrug
Novo Amor - 'Land Where I Land'
Y Fan, Llanidloes
http://facebook.com/novoamorsongs
Meg Ella - 'Goliath'
Llangrannog
http://megella.net
Murder Club - 'Pictures of Myself'
Newport
http://facebook.com/Murderclubuk
THE LONG SONG #026
WRKHOUSE - 'Getaway'
North Wales / Cardiff
http://facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092008124615
Bodhi - 'Popt'
Cardiff
http://hotflush.bandcamp.com
Bec Saunders - 'You'
Brynmawr
http://linktr.ee/becsaunders
Fortune Teller - 'Jump Ship'
Rhondda Valleys
http://facebook.com/fortunetellermusic.uk
DAVID WRENCH TRIBUTE TO EMYR GLYN WILLIAMS
ANKSTMUSIK '98-'24 PLAYLIST
Datblygu - 'Cân Y Mynach Modern'
Cardigan
http://ankstmusik.bandcamp.com
Zabrinski - 'Ill Gotten Game'
Carmarthen
http://zabrinski.bandcamp.com
Infinity Chimps - 'Drws - Y - Coed'
Snowdonia
http://myspace.com/infinitychimps
Mc Mabon - 'Gad Dy Ben Yn Syml ( Adam Walton Session 2002 )'
Caernarfon
http://mcmabon.com
Ectogram - 'Small Things Crawling'
Bangor / Ynys Môn
http://ectogram.co.uk
Tystion - 'Original Sgamster'
Carmarthen
http://bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/tystion
Wendykurk - 'Freckles'
Holyhead
Klaus Kinski - 'Skelington Horse'
Llanfairfechan
http://myspace.com/klausruddykinski
Stilletoes, The - 'I Need To Roam'
Pwllheli
http://facebook.com/pages/The-Stilletoes/7319727651
Edwin R. Stevens - 'Only Child [radio edit]'
Llanfairfechan
http://edwinrstevens.com
Geraint Jarman - 'Bywyd Dub (Life Dub)'
Denbigh
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Geraint_Jarman
Llwybr Llaethog - 'Mera Desh ( Remix )'
Blaenau Ffestiniog / Cardiff
http://llwybrllaethog.bandcamp.com
Datblygu - 'Cymryd Y Cyfan'
Cardigan
http://ankstmusik.bandcamp.com
Da - Da - 'Yr Enfys'
Blaenau Ffestiniog / Penygroes / Cardiff
Ffrancon - 'Detroit Chicago New York Machynlleth'
Machynlleth
Rheinallt H. Rowlands - 'Simone'
Llanfair P.G.
http://rheinallt.com
Surphaze - 'NAUSEA'
Swansea
http://instagram.com/surphaze.uk
Bronnie - 'Paranoid'
Port Dinorwic
http://bronniemusic.com
REEM MUHAMMED SELECTS...
Meg Uppington - 'Message Received'
Cardiff
Half Happy - 'Runaway Girl (Ooze Remix)'
Cardiff
http://facebook.com/wearehalfhappy
Little To Nothing - 'Did I Ever Say I'm Sorry'
Pen Y Bont
http://facebook.com/LittleToNothingUK
SHOW STATS
106 diff songs/ 113 Total. 98 Artists in 3 shows since 1st, Jan '24 (~Songs per:38, Unique artists per:33) Welsh:96% Cymraeg:12% (feat. lyrics in Welsh); Source: Uploader:42%, Direct:19%, Bought:17%, Plugger:19%, Commission:3%
Comprehensive Session / Interview List: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1w-rIPj0l0QhUcbEm08PUPLUWh-416mwlteG_8wpNWtQ/edit?usp=sharing
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Adam Walton