By Tamsin Davies
Published August 29, 2022
Islais a genir (‘a sung whisper’) is the second album from Welsh trio VRï, whose acclaimed 2019 debut Tŷ Ein Tadau earned them a clutch of accolades, including Best Album and the Best Traditional Welsh Language Track at the Welsh Folk Awards, a nomination at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and a nomination for the Welsh Music Prize.
VRï are Aneirin Jones, Jordan Price Williams and Patrick Rimes, three boys from Wales who delve deep into the fascinating but little known ‘broken history’ of Welsh traditional music, a complex and fascinating relationship between the chapel and the people, as beautifully told by Andy Morgan in his sleeve notes. With their trademark powerful vocal harmonies, they harness at once a wild energy and sense of fun, all underpinned with the delicate sensibility of their classical training. Theirs is a totally unique soundscape, a reinterpretation of long lost music written for harp but painstakingly remoulded for fiddle, with the unusual addition of cello.
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VRï have delved into deepest, darkest chapel-going Wales to mine the cultural upheaval of past centuries and drawn inspiration from the incredible story of a time when Wales’ traditional music and dance was suppressed by Methodist chapels, and, earlier, its language by Henry VIII’s Act of Union. As audio archaeologists, VRï have unearthed long lost nuggets that shed a new light on a vibrant folk tradition that harnesses the raw energy of the fiddle with the finesse of the violin, the beauty of chamber music with the joy and hedonism of a pub session. Their songs tell stories of the people who struggled 200 years ago, just as many struggle today. It’s a euphoric and unique soundscape that connects across the centuries to give us a sense of belonging, of community, and a magical feeling of weightlessness and uplifting freedom.
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The name VRï is a word in the Welsh language meaning ‘above’, ‘aloft’, ‘floating’…or simply ‘Up’, with the spelling inspired by Hen Gymraeg (Old Welsh). It describes the sensation of playing this kind of vocal & instrumental chamber music – all six voices independently interacting with one another, without the presence of any kind of ‘anchor’ or safety ropes (be those anchors rhythmic like a drum kit, or melodic such as fretted or keyboard instruments). It’s an experience that is equally exhilarating and terrifying for the performers…and hopefully engaging for the listener! Islais a genir is a joyous celebration of Welsh identity, sung in the Welsh language.
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Recorded in Pembrokeshire at StudiOwz, the album features Beth Celyn as guest vocalist on several tracks. islais a genir is VRï’s second album, and their first release on the bendigedig label, the team behind Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita’s award-winning albums ECHO and SOAR, and The Rheingans Sisters Receiver.
It releases world-wide on 28th October 2022 on bendigedig.
