Wales is buzzing at present. It has always been a far more inventive place than most of the other British Isles constituents, but lately it has been in overdrive. A host of top notch artists across a wide range of genres are admirable and more than interesting.
There are an accompanying collection of Indie labels that are not only the true definition of Indie, but have a love of both the culture and music itself. Recordings in English or Welsh languages have the same care and attention to present something that isn't the norm. This applies across the whole country, North, South and Mid. I'll shut up now or you will have me banging on about my love of Derrero.
In this case, the label is Cae Gwyn Records, a small but perfectly formed affair from Snowdonia. The Mighty Observer is the solo project of multi instrumentalist Garmon Rhys. You would think there would not be an awful lot to say about a 5 song mini album. Well there is!
It may also get more complicated for lovers of words in songs, because three of the five tracks are instrumentals. But stay where you are, because they are great and very different offerings. Talk Amongst Yourself is a lounge driven Funk thing with a great Bass line. 111 heads in a far more ambient direction, but has hints of great Psych.
The real stand out is Low Level Panic, a tune that fills its nigh on 7 minutes hypnotically. There are hints of late 60s and 70s West Coast, yet there are also undertones of Prog. It is the sort of thing that you'd probably listen to on the Harvest label.
Sandwiched in between are the two songs containing vocals and you are left wondering why out and out everyday songs are not tackled more. Again is a wonderful slice of Indie 80s Guitar Pop, very XTC in feel, although I'm not sure if Partridge or Moulding would have written it. Rhys's voice has a gentle pastoral sound that hooks you.
Paid Syllu Mewn I’r Gorwel Rhy Hir is more of a chant, melancholic yet attention grabbing. Instrumentally, I'm reminded a lot of Bill Nelson's solo adventures, particularly from the nineties onward. But Under The Open Sky is such an interesting listen in a mediocre soundalike world.
You can listen to and buy the album here.
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