In this issue we catch up with, cover star, Benji Webbe of Skindred, ex Simple Minds star Mick McNeil, keyboard player to the stars Nigel Hopkins as well as Nancy Ackroyd, Caitlin Lavagna, one of Wales’ top venue owners Jordan McGuire from The Bunkhouse, Undersound, Adlais with Connor Morgans and so much more – dive in, click on the QR codes and bask in the glory that is Wales and beyond. We also announce our winner of the best album between November 2022
October 2023 in TIWN’S TOP TEN! Featuring: Holy Coves, Godsticks, Mr Phormula, Skindred, Nancy Ackroyd, Those Damn Crows, Trampolene, Himalayas, Mal Pope and Tapestri.
We hope that you find something to entertain you between these sheets and, following public outcry, we are now making TIWN available at selected outlets across Wales!
After exploring the realms of indie rock and punk with previous singles “Where Shadows Roam” and “Tearaway”, Tom Anthony once again showcases his range with his latest offering, ‘Symphony’.
“Symphony” tells of Anthony’s personal journey of separation from and reunion with music. It’s a candid and introspective look at his 15 year hiatus and inspirational return fueled by the need for artistic expression in a lockdown world.
“Symphony” is a deeply autobiographical and intimate piece, in which Anthony pours his musings, regrets and realisations into every note and syllable. This single reveals a more contemplative and refined side to Tom Anthony’s sound, while retaining the emotion and poetic insight that characterizes his music.
A record in the tradition of singer-songwriters, “Symphony” delivers a fresh take on the classic style of artists like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley and Ryan Adams, and represents yet another aspect of Anthony’s varied influences.
This honest slice of insight into Tom Anthony’s story acts as a precursor to his forthcoming album slated for early 2024, and it’s a testament to Anthony’s ability to intertwine his life experiences with diverse musical elements, creating songs that resonate and stay with the listener long after the last chord has been struck.
With “Symphony”, Tom hopes to reach the hearts of those who have left a passion behind, helping them to rediscover and reconnect with the thing that sets their soul alight. It’s an anthem for dreamers, believers and those unwilling to let life get in the way.
FOCUS Wales are thrilled to reveal the first 70 new music acts for their 2024 festival, which is set to be their biggest edition to date. Among the first acts announced today are… Spiritualized | The Mysterines | The Royston Club | Deerhoof | Snapped Ankles | The Bug Club | Skinny Pelembe | Adwaith | Flamingods | Angeline Morrison | CVC | ISLET | Willy Mason | Cerys Hafana | Benefits | Melin Melyn | Plus 180 more acts still to be announced! See the full list of 70 acts announced today at the link below.
MACY is the incredible young Welsh songstress who has been releasing music since 2020 and who has amassed incredible ratings on streaming platforms in such a relatively short space of time, in excess of 1 million streams worldwide, as well as being played on and receiving praise from the likes of BBC introducing, BBC Radio Wales (where she was added to the A- List for several single releases) and BBC Radio ONE.
Having started releasing music in 2020, Macy has released an impressive 13 singles to date, Mostly notably ‘Pink Bandana’ from 2022 which has amassed over 235,938k streams on spotify alone, ‘Swear Down’ which was championed by BBC Radio ONE (51k spotify streams) ‘Shoulders Back’ from June 2023 (47,071k Spotify Streams) and her most recent release of ‘Forget Me Not Blue’ from September 2023 (43,220k Spotify Streams).
In what can only be described as a whirlwind past 12 months, MACY has amassed an impressive international following, with over a Million streams worldwide with the numbers ever rising!
MACY released her first EP, ‘Words4Luv’ last year and now follows this up with her second EP release entitled ‘Third Person’.
MACY has said of the EP“The Third Person EP is a mixture of tracks personal to me and the way I feel or have felt… it represents me looking at my life and my future in a brand new way”
The new song and title track from the EP ‘Third Person’ shows a whole new side to the songstress opening up a more indie sound and vulnerable vibe to her music. It’s a pleasingly delicate soundtrack with harmonious vocals coupled with ticking back beats and poignant lyrics “I wish I could see through your eyes, I wish I could myself in the third person”
The new track is released with an accompanying music video that sees the young star transformed into a simulated, animated computer character going about her day in a virtual cyber world which is perfectly befitting the track as its whole ethos is about how Macy feels she is perceived and viewed by others.
You can watch the official music video for ‘Third Person’HERE NOW
MACY’s songs are undoubtedly becoming well known for their infectious, feel-good lyrics delivered in Macy’s own individual style, and this single follows suit, playing with current sounds and trends while all wrapped up in a traditional MACY flair.
MACY’s journey to date has seen her undertaking several key appearances in 2022/23, including appearances at Clwb Ifor Bach and 110Above, culminating in an amazing solo performance at the star studded BAFTA CYMRU awards ceremony, at St Davids Hall, Cardiff in October, presented by Alex Jones MACY also performed at The Principality Stadium, in front of a 50,000 capacity crowd as well as performing at FOCUSwales, Rebel Fest and The Foodies Festival (Cardiff & Bristol). MACY further performed live on BBC Radio Wales (The Quinnells at Xmas) alongside Emile Sand.
Macy has upcoming gig on the 22nd December, an acoustic gig at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff for Generation W.
The amazingly talented Welsh, hip-hop artist Ren, hailing from Dwyran on Anglesey, made it to number 1 in the UK charts with his independently released album, Sick Boi.
The internet sensation has built up a huge fanbase online, and it was his extremely loyal fanbase who helped push him beyond the line to beat his competition from Rick Astley. In the end it wasn’t even close as Sick Boi had a 6,000 unit advantage when the official UK albums Chart was published on October 20th, thanks to a striking push in the final 24 hours of the cycle.
Sick Boi is released through The Other Songs, it is the indie entertainment company’s first ever UK top 10.
Rens victory sees him joining the long list of Welsh album chart toppers, from Tom Jones, Bonnie Tyler and Duffy to Manic Street Preachers and Stereophonics among many others. This should not be underestimated given that it has been achieved completely as an independent artist.
This has also come as a huge victory for the Welsh star as he has suffered many years from an autoimmune diseases which also resulted in bouts of depression which forced him at one time to withdraw from music. Last year he addressed his struggles in a song called Hi Ren, a phenomenal track where he confronts his illness through the voices in his head. His Youtube video for Hi Ren gained over 20 million views. Sick Boi is a real contender for Music Scene Wales’ Album Of The Year.
Ren refused to be told the results ahead of the charts and tuned in along with his fans on the countdown. A real victorious moment for Ren and also for independent music.
2023 is looking like the year Megan Wyn finally captures the imagination of the people who have somehow missed her slow and steady rise through the ranks over the last two years.
At the age of just 18, the young starlet-to-be has already achieved so much in her already fledgling career, but latest release, ‘You Don’t Get It’, has certainly started to see Wyn make some serious in-roads.
After the release in August 2023, Megan has been booked for numerous tastemaker metropolitan festivals dotted around the country including Twisterella and Beyond The Music, as well as, choice support slots with the like of Swim Deep and Andrew Cushin.
At radio, Megan has already had playlist support from Radio X alongside a live session with John Kennedy. She was also booked to do do a live session with BBC introducing Manchester last minute, whilst gaining repeat support at BBC Radio London and BBC Radio Merseyside.
Wyn was also Huw Stephens’ Artist of The Week on BBC Radio Wales and added to the station’s playlist.
Now, Megan returns with hugely impressive new cut, ‘Familiar Faces’. Taking cues from contemporaries such like Sam Fender, Olivia Rodrigo, and many more, the young artist sounds like the shackles are finally off.
Different to her previous dreamlike release, the track is fast-paced, seething and has a point to make. There’s a sense of real exacerbation in lines like: “They only throw stones to leave a scar”
What makes it different to most records though, is the way in which Megan has drawn upon her influences new and old. Her love of Amazon’s blockbuster series, The Six, almost oozes out of your speakers as her PJ Harvey-esque croon delivers ear worm after ear worm.
Rare that an artist is effortlessly cool whilst calling upon pop sensibilities relentlessly. Wistful but assured in equal measure, it sounds exactly like a teenager figuring themselves out.
Speaking about the song, Megan said: “Familiar Faces was written at the start of summer after breaking off a situationship with someone who let jealousy and other people come between us. It’s a bittersweet song about the love you have for this person but the angst and anger that comes with jealousy ruining something that could have been great.”
‘Familiar Faces’, was written with and produced by Alex Quinn (The Royston Club, Lottery Winners, Michael Aldag) over the course of an extensive period of writing in Summer 2022.
Previous years saw Megan play The Great Escape, Truck Festival, Y Not and Isle Of Wight Festival. And she completed her debut headline tour earlier in the year.
An old head on young shoulders, Megan rightly feels that she has reached her starting point. With live experiences already in the bag, it was just a matter of honing her sound and landing on something that was truly representative of herself.
It’s also true that moving from her native Anglesey just off the Welsh coast, to her now home of Manchester at the age of 16, would have helped Megan develop not only as a musician but most importantly as a woman.
Megan grew up wanting exactly what she has now, the ability to put pen to paper and have songs fall out of her, to play shows to packed out venues in Manchester, as well as, elsewhere. And most importantly, play the festivals she probably would have attended anyway.
Alternative, hook heavy four-piece See The Witch release self titled debut single filled with eldritch riffs, ritualistic rhythms and presiding vocals.
Hailing from Swansea the band is for fans of Ghost, Royal Blood and Billy Talent.
Check out See The Witch now on all streaming platforms.
South Wales four piece The Now are proud to release a brand new single ‘Get Out ‘ via Trew Music, ahead of the release of their debut album in Spring 2024.
The infectious ‘Get Out’ is a fast moving classic, that will grip the listener from the very first hearing and simply refuse to let go.
Recorded at Real World Studios and produced by Grammy Award winning Oli Jacobs, who has previously worked with Harry Styles and The 1975, ‘Get Out’ tells the story of an emerging band who have been severely let down by their record company and having to start their career all over again.
In 2021, the band’s single, ‘Dr Jones’ managed to start their rise to success with it featuring on BBC Radio 2, The Rock Show with Johnnie Walker and also numerous plays on Planet Rock with Wyatt. The first single, ‘Holy’ from the band’s debut EP in 2022 gained a huge amount of airplay around the globe. Apart from plays on BBC and numerous independent stations in the UK, it was “The Coolest Song in the World” for a week in Little Steven’s Underground Garage on Sirius XM across North America.
2023 saw the first single ‘Devil Inside Me’ from the album once again picked as “Coolest Song In The World” in Little Steven’s Underground Garage Sirius XM show as well as Track of the Week on Planet Rock!
Having recently supported Reef and Florence Black and performed at The Isle of Wight Festival, The Now are on a mission to leave no head left unturned and one can be sure, this is only the beginning for the band.
The Now consists of: Shane Callaghan on Rhythm Guitar & Lead Vocals, Will Scott on Drums, Callum Bromage on Guitar & Vocals and Jay Evans on Bass Guitar & Vocals.
Awst releases his bittersweet new single ‘Afallon’ that captures childhood memories, out now.
Awst is the project of Eryri musician Cynyr Hamer. Awst returns with bittersweet new single ‘Afallon’ a hazy wistful song about not being able to recapture childhood memories of long hot summers in the 90s, spending time with family in his grandparents home. Hamer says “over the years our grandparents’ home has become like a mythical magical place which exists only in our memories, like the mythical story of Avalon.”
With a redolent, glowing, psych tinged strum and lilting vocals, it’s a wistful and gorgeous window into childhood and fond memories. The accompanying video is a snapshot of that place and time, filmed by his dad through a larger camcorder in the early 1990s.
“And to be in the place of my home, now I seek for that place far within my memory”
Having been involved in various other bands over the years, such as Worldcub, Hippies Vs Ghosts, and We Are Animal, Awst is Cynyr’s more personal solo brainchild. Active since 2021, a handful of releases are already under the belt, including debut album ‘Haul/Lloer’ follow up self titled album ‘Awst’ and newly released album’ Mewn Côf’. All released within a year.
Awst’s songs are crafted from acoustic melodies, layered with dreamy guitars and synths, with the occasional horn sections. The material is written and recorded entirely by Cynyr on a tascam multitrack recorder in a caravan up in the Eryri hills. The songs are recorded almost always on first takes, keeping the live element of excitement of playing the parts for the first time, with spontaneity, playfulness and freedom captured in the music. The songs often conjure up nostalgic feelings at the end of summer, capturing bittersweet memories and sounds.
Having played electro-acoustic sets at numerous shows in the past year, including FOCUS Wales Festival and FOCUS Wales’ Dydd Miwsig Cymru event, Awst set out to release his third album, with the single ‘Hafan’ being the first to appear, followed by second single ‘Aros Tan Ddydd’, ‘Afallon’; is the third and final single to be released from his summer album release titled ‘Mewn Côf’.
23 year old South Wales singer-songwriter Josh Hicks releases his second single, Everything About You. After attending ACM in Guildford, where he gained a First in vocal performance, Josh entered the Open Mic competition in 2021 and won the overall competition, against 15k other entries (previous winners include Birdy and Lola Young).
Josh from Newport, working with long-time producer/writer Shatterjack, says ‘This song was written by Shatterjack, Kemi Sulola and myself. Everything About You is about having an absolute fascination for someone and feeling utterly and powerlessly bowled over by that person. It’s about not listening to what people may say about them and just trusting your own thought processes and instincts.’
With a contemporary, classic pop sound that embodies soulful yet subtle jazz inclinations, while Hicks’ songs are aimed at younger audiences, they’re equally able to cross the generational divide. Inspired by lyrical greats such as Cole Porter and Amy Winehouse, Hicks injects personality into his writing, drawn from personal experience.
With its dramatic, modern melodies and soulfully expressive lyrics this second single pays testament to Josh’s powerful vocals and innate ability to write life-affirming songs. The track provides all the evidence you need that this bright young star is set to shine.
Catch Josh playing live this autumn around various venues in Wales. Follow him on Insta, Tik Tok and Spotify for further live announcements.
Indie Revolution 