The 4th celebration of live music courtesy of Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephans. Sŵn is pronounced 'soon' and it means sounds in Welsh. It takes place over a number of venues throughout Cardiff with each one providing a different atmosphere. This year saw Mancunian synthy indie band Egyptian Hip Hop, the distorted moody drone of Swans and an acoustic set from Cardiff's Kids in Glass Houses amoung many others. Sŵn gives a much needed injection of live music to a predominately dubstep raving student base. Only at festivals can you experience such a broad range of music and how lovely it is to have one in your own city during out of festie term time. Unfortunately I couldn't make the Thursday but here is a quick run down of some of the musical delights that I witnessed over the weekend.
Friday
Plyci
Cardiff Arts Institute kicked off Fridays Proceedings with some very interesting experimental dance music. Each bringing their own various sampler equipment. The north Walian Plyci came to the stage bringing his heavy saw tooth electro that chops and changes so much that it could be IDM. He finished off with a harmonious ambient song called Flump that has a floaty piano over Aphex-esque glitches, a really nice song that you can check out on his MYSPACE
Dam Mantle
Now this guy is a strange lad from Glasgow. The music is hectic, his movements even more erratic. He plays live guitar, sings live, bangs on a drum whilst looping it all and the result is a similar breed of music to Gold Panda. However, it wasn't quite there on the live performance, at times it could be abit of a mess, off time bangs on a single tom at random became abit annoying. There is alot of potential and the recorded stuff on his myspace is much more together and worth a listen.
Dam Mantle - Theater
Quinoline Yellow
Once a food colouring that has now been banned has taken the form of glitchy IDM. Some serious production going on here but unfortunately technical difficulties meant that literally everything was peaking and distorting. A somewhat disheartened Luke Williams at one point even left his decks to come out to the crowd to check that he wasn't imagining it. He played out the set and at some points you could hear some real genius and sometimes the distortion actually worked with the track. Anyway there's no distortion on the recorded stuff so check it.
Quinoline Yellow - Off Ground Touch
The Keys
Cardiff bred 60's garage rock band filled Y Fuwch Goch to capacity and were a great laugh. Sounded similar to Band of Skulls and BRMC at parts. At one point there was a progressive middle 8, almost post rock like which I thoroughly enjoyed. Trying to revive 60's rock could be dangerously tacky like a night out at Flares maybe but this payed off. Its not an attempt at going back in time, more an adaptation of the past. Check out the nice summery tune called Fire Inside on the Myspace.
The Keys Myspace
Saturday
Alphabet Backwards
Well if like me you were hanging from Friday, Alphabet Backwards tried to pick you up at CAI with some happy synth pop. The guy on the old school 80's synths was the real talent and also the drummer was remarkable especially for an indie pop band. There is a male and a female singer who had a strange relationship as it appeared the lyrics were about each other yet there was not much interaction between them. There were some lyrical issues aswell, one song was actually about Primark. Although a good singer, his cockney was abit too Ordinary Boys for me but I wont be too harsh as they were entertaining.
Alphabet Backwards Myspace
Tom Gray
One of the highlights of the festie was Tom Gray from Gomez. A very likable musician who provided not only great acoustic versions of Gomez songs but also humoured the audience with his dry wit and anecdotes. I think CAI was a perfect venue for him as the chemistry between him and the crowd was jovial and removed any awkwardness an intimate venue can have. He helped to laugh of the hangover and set me up for the rest of the days adventures.
GOMEZ MYSPACE
Magic Kids
All the way from Memphis Tennessee this young surf pop band look set to be following in The Drums footsteps who interestingly played at Sŵn festival last year.
Magic Kids - Summer
Islet
A little treat was install for all who could make it into the cramped Model Inn. The last band of the event were suitably chosen to make swn go out with a bang. The atmosphere was one of anticipation as Islet are a well established Cardiff band and I think most people knew what to expect. It was loud, really loud, and very exciting. Its hard to say 'front man' as everyone switches instruments and roles but the curly haired guy from Attack and Defend was the most energetic, climbing on the speakers, jumping off the walls, drumming on the ceiling beams, the lot. The band is quite percussion orientated with various members banging away whilst jumping around on their feet. The crowd were right involved, in unison with the band, moshing appropriately at each crescendo and waiting anxiously in the high tension interludes. A hugely exciting band that are definately going places.
Islet - Ringerz
Islet - Iris
