ONE TO WATCH: ANI GLASS
The journey leading to Ani Glass’ debut album Mirores dates back to the late 00s, where Ani Saunders – her given name, pre-pseudonym – joined The Pipettes as half of a duo, alongside older sister Gwenno. Faintly absurdly, this meant the Brighton indiepop girl group consisted of two Welsh siblings with no link to its original lineup; while the band split in 2011, but it served as a springboard for each Saunders’ next activities.
Following a period heading a Cardiff band, The Lovely Wars, Ani Glass first emerged in 2015, her mode ethereal slowburner synthpop in Welsh, her first language. Various singles and EPs followed, notably Ffrwydrad Travel in 2017: produced by the esteemable WH Dyfodol (aka Y Pencadlys), it marked the beginning of Ani’s relationship with elusive label Recordiau Neb, who are also releasing Mirores.
Notably, these 10 songs are self-produced – a first for Ani – and while there are stylistic deviations, her taste for leftfield disco synth gleam and churchy, almost dreampop-like vocals is clear. Close listening will also reveal field recordings of Cardiff, apparently part of a concept which binds together the album’s running order, while the title is a reference to Saunders’ Cornish bardic name. Obliged, here, to note that Gwenno has channelled her Wales-Kernow dual heritage into electronic pop both bolder and more successful than anyone might have envisaged during her Pipettes days; if Ani Glass has taken longer to unfurl her creative vision, the results are similarly worthwhile.