Freyja Elsy, a classically trained musician and self-taught electro-pop producer hailing from Cardiff, has been independently releasing singles for the past three years and has introduced her live performances during 2023.
Freyja Elsy’s EP delves into a profound exploration of various themes, capturing the monotony and disillusionment of a repetitive existence in single ‘Over It‘.
Freyja Elsy has received acclaim from BBC (6Music/Radio Wales), Freshonthenet, and international blogs and radio, earning her the reputation of an exceptionally accomplished musician and producer. Her debut single, ‘Lungs,’ left critics and listeners in awe, described by Adam Walton from BBC Radio Wales as “off-the-scale evocative.“
Music Scene Wales’ Single Of The Week, chosen by the Indie Revolution Team is the 90s nostalgic ‘Hey Man’ by Cardiff based Rock band Pacifica. The band were formed in early 2021 during the pandemic. The group consists of four school friends. Their goal is to become the biggest they can while staying loyal to their Welsh roots. ‘Hey Man’ is instantly captivating and blows you away.
Dusty Cut is the wistful music project of award-winning writer Phil Jones. Dusty Cut craft songs about friendships and loves gained and lost, fights in restaurants, Scottish islands and the sea. The band are based in Cardiff and released their debut album ‘Hawaii’ in 2017.
The band have developed a warm sound that incorporates moody folk, 70s rock and a hint of strangeness inspired by eccentrics like Gruff Rhys, Arthur Russell and Big Thief.
Best Friend’s Wedding is about being the least traditional person at a traditional wedding. It was recorded at King’s Road Studio in Cardiff and mastered by Charlie Francis.
Following on from his last track ‘Tearaway’, Tom Anthony’s fab new rock anthem with a hint of country tells a dark tale of murder, madness and how little we really know about those around us.
The record has received much accolade as it has been awarded Record of the Week on a couple of radio stations like Breeze FM in Spain, and it’s on the Welsh Connections Playlist, among others.
Tom Anthony has been in and out of bands since his teen years but lost touch with music when he entered the real world of responsibilities, 15 years later, during the Covid lockdown he picked up his old, battered guitar and threw himself into writing and recording an album due to be released in early 2024.
‘Where Shadows Roam’ is out now on all streaming platforms.
Nominated for the Welsh Music Prize, JAMMY is a singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist from Cardiff. Heavily influenced by Nik Kershaw, Tom Petty, John Mayer and all things 80s.
JAMMY has previously released a full-length album and is now working on his second album. His first single of the upcoming album, ‘Sing’ received great praise, and now his second single ‘Try’ has already caught the eye of Welsh Connection’s Michael Kennedy. He says ‘Do we like it? We LOVE it – it’s got a fantastic 80’s retro feel to it but with enough contemporary touches to avoid it sounding in any way dated. There’s a backbeat reminiscent of Tears For Fears but everything else is 100% Jammy and it’s the sound of a massive hit.’
JAMMY also produced and played on fellow Welsh artist, Kaysha Louvain’s, Welsh Music Prize nominated album ‘The Song Goes On’ Try is the second single from Jammy’s upcoming untitled second album.
Tom Anthony makes his debut with single “Tearaway”, a punk anthem for the summer. Arriving in the midst of summer, “Tearaway” is an energetic slice of punk rock goodness from Cardiff-based singer-songwriter Tom Anthony. In this debut single, you’ll encounter big guitars, a heck of a hook, even bigger drums and a story of a world-ending female fury in the tradition of Green Day, Ramones, New York Dolls and The Sex Pistols.
“Tearaway” is out now on all major streaming platforms, and marks the culmination of a 15 year journey back to music from Anthony. Having lost touch with his passion for a decade and a half, Tom finally picked up a guitar again during the first lockdown of the COVID-1 pandemic, which led to the writing and recording of a full album due to be released in early 2024, with “Tearaway” as the first of a series of singles.
Describing his sound as “rock & roll for grownups”, Anthony’s music is a mature blend of rock, blues, punk, jazz, folk and country, with insightul, poetc lyrics rooted in real world experiences. His major influences include David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Oasis and Ryan Adams, resultng in a unique style that straddles genres, taking in the full history of rock music while keeping an eye firmly fixed on the future.
With the release of “Tearaway”, Tom Anthony aims to connect with fans who love rock music that has something to say, to inspire those with a dream of any kind, and to show that it’s never too late to reconnect with the thing you love. As an independent artist, Anthony is excited to share his musical journey with the world, make great records and put on the best show in town
Cardiff born artist Dead Method has released his brand new single ‘Cry About U’. An upbeat electro pop sound juxtaposed against anguished lyrics that deal with the loss of a loved one. Produced by Edward Russell, the song explores the pressure we sometimes put on ourselves to disengage with the grieving process and how that can blow up in our faces.
After the success of their Welsh Music Prize nominated album ‘Future Femme’ in 2022, Dead Method is kicking off a new era of art and music. Starting with their recently released single ‘Faith In Judas’ which spent 3 weeks on the BBC Radio Wales A-List and now with ‘Cry About U’, Dead Method is showing their versatility as an artist.
Dead Method has drawn on his inspirations and has created a distinctive sound for himself in his music. Although the lyrics draw on experiences of loss, the track is fun, funky and upbeat, almost like a paradox. The contrast is clever, creating a unique song.
Cardiff duo release well anticipated album Dos Bebés. Quirky and eccentric, full of fantastic songs crafted by excellent musicians who have invented a great concept, an album full of charm.
The new album began it’s creation during a five year period when Bethan and Ynyr were expecting their first child and ended just before the birth of their second. the album is exploring life in all it’s messy glory.
Dos Bebés is out now across all streaming platforms.
This year sees Cardiff hosting a new independent music festival. The first ever Micro Music Festival at the Fuel Rock Club on Saturday July 15th. The Festival features some of the best Welsh independent bands on the independent music scene.
Aderyn, Feverjaw, The Rivers, Who Are The Monsters, Frakard, The Rusty Nutz, Hidden Shackles and Those Heavy Souls.
There are 50 early bird tickets up on sale for the very low price of £8. Buy your tickets through the link below.
A brilliant crafter of jazz-tinged indie-folk and alt-rock, Cardiff’s FoxSleep (aka Jason Morgan) has released his new single “Fordone” via Recordiau Pob Lwc.
With live acoustic shows showcasing his intuitive songwriting and ear for the jazzier corners of a melody, FoxSleep’s recorded work demonstrates his aptitude for instrumentation and arrangement. Driven by a gnarled bassline evoking the Knight Rider theme and drums approaching hard rock, Fordone’s blend of acoustic clatter and fizzing electric guitars provides the foundation for vocal melodies that wind around moments of folk, alt-rock and jazz, while violins provide complementary drone, orchestral uplift and harmony.
The song’s take on the consequences of excess moves between candid and deliberately exaggerated: “It’s a song about the things I should do less of,” explains Jason, “bad habits often excused as harmless or normalised as socially acceptable – I can’t decide if I’m worrying over nothing, however, it keeps me awake sometimes.”
Continuing a semi-DIY approach with both self-recorded and remotely performed components, Fordone is the first of a trio of singles scheduled for 2023, mixed by Todd Campbell (of Stompbox Studios and Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons). The accompanying artwork by Newport’s George Goom reflects a running conceptual theme of being gradually taken apart.
Following 3 successful DIY EPs, FoxSleep’s 2022 single What It Always Comes Back To received multiple plays on BBC Wales Introducing and was described by Circuit
Sweet as an “anthemic piece of the highest quality… as intense as it is uplifting.”
FoxSleep has performed at well established venues and festivals such as Swansea’s Bunkhouse, Cardiff’s Hub Festival and Clwb Ifor Bach, and Newport’s Le Pub, recently supporting acts such as Ynys, HMS Morris, Apollo Ghosts and Taff Rapids.
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