Carmarthen’s Adwaith have been simmering under the surface for a little while now, and with third album Solas they look set to step into the spotlight. Joshua Williams caught up with the trio to discuss Solas’ genesis, touring Europe, the Welsh language and more.
Solas, the ambitious new 23-song album by mid-Wales indie/postpunk favourites Adwaith, began its life back in 2022, shortly after the release of predecessor Bato Mato. All three members recall its embryonic form to Buzz: “We didn’t go into the writing process thinking it was going to be a double album,” says Gwenllian Anthony, bassist and keyboardist in the trio.
Adds Hollie Singer, Adwaith’s suitably named frontwoman: “We had loads of ideas, and just said ‘we’ll work on them all!’ We wanted to pick the best and make it a single album, but when we finished we were like, ‘oh you can’t cut any of these! They’re too good!’”
And, according to drummer Heledd Owen: “I think we had enough ideas for a triple album! But that’d be crazy…”
Since first breaking out with 2018 debut album Melyn, Adwaith have spent ample time touring mainland Europe – countries where people may not be aware of the language in which they sing. But, as Owen says, “I feel like in Europe, bilingualism is quite normal in comparison to the UK, so I don’t think people are intimidated by it – by the fact that they don’t understand what it is, or what we’re singing about. I think they just enjoy the music.”
“Maybe they haven’t even heard of Welsh,” suggests Anthony, “which is exciting to them as people who are used to speaking lots of different languages. Being able to hear another language that you might never have heard before.”
“It’s really nice to bring the Welsh communities in different places together when we play outside of Wales,” says Singer. “A lot of them do come to our gigs – it’s connection for people.”
Adwaith believe the UK is more open to the notion of acts performing in their native languages than 10 years ago too – take the success of Belfast’s Kneecap, for example. “There’s still a long way to go, though,” says Anthony. “Kneecap – and Gwenno – have got the backing of Heavenly, which is a very reputable record label, but what about artists who are not on a label that’s deemed ‘cool’ by the London industry, or a major? Then again, 10 years ago maybe you wouldn’t have had Kneecap on a label like Heavenly, so there’s definitely progress.”
Owen views this point from the opposite angle: “It feels like something is starting to change with us. For this album, it feels different. Like we’re getting respected a little more by the industry.”
Of course, the band have had some detractors over the years for their commitment to singing in Welsh. When this is brought up, Anthony shouts jokingly “no! Get out! Leave!” and Singer relates her experience of encountering “people that I kind of know, in the pub, saying something like, ‘oh you’d sound better in English’. Which just makes me want to sing in Welsh even more. It’s just been a thing forever, hasn’t it? People love to shit on the Welsh language, make fun of it, and try to diminish it. That’s happened for years and years.”
Anthony “I think people’s attitudes towards Scottish and Irish people are very different than towards Welsh people.”
Owen: “It does feel like Welsh is less respected than other languages in the UK, definitely. Ask an American person about Wales – they don’t know anything about it! Maybe that’s partly our fault as a nation you know? Maybe we’re a little bit inwards. Maybe we’re not spending enough time promoting Wales – our culture and our language. But it’s starting to change – even in the US, people are now kind of discovering their Welsh heritage.”
Solas is released on Fri 7 Feb via Libertino.
Adwaith play Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda on Sat 8 Feb; Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen on Sat 15 Feb. Tickets: £13.25-£17.50. Info: here
words JOSHUA WILLIAMS
