Wales’ Oldest Independent Record Label

Recording, Publishing, Collaborating

  • Sain Records is one of Wales’s most influential and enduring independent record labels. Founded in 1969 by Dafydd Iwan and Huw Jones, the label was created to provide a professional platform for Welsh-language music at a time when such work was largely ignored by the mainstream music industry.

    Named after the Welsh word sain meaning “sound,” the company quickly became a cultural landmark, raising production standards and giving voice to contemporary Welsh identity through music. Today, Sain is based at a multi-studio recording facility in Llandwrog, North Wales, which has become a hub for recording, production, and creative collaboration.

  • Since 1969, Sain Records has released thousands of recordings across a wide range of genres, including folk, rock, pop, classical, and contemporary music, and has played a central role in nurturing Welsh artists and preserving the Welsh language.


    With its extensive archive and ongoing commitment to celebrating and preserving that archive, alongside artist development and cultural projects, Sain remains a cornerstone of Wales’s music industry and a vital contributor to the nation’s creative heritage.

1969

Sain (Recordiau) Cyf was established in 1969 by Dafydd Iwan and Huw Jones, both well-known folk singers who had previously recorded with another record company, Teldisc. During this time, Welsh-language records by artists like Hogia’r Wyddfa, Hogia Llandegai, and Tony and Aloma sold in high numbers.

However, Dafydd and Huw felt that not enough was being done by record companies to improve the quality of Welsh-language records compared to English ones. It was common to hire a hall for a day, record a singer and their guitar live, and call it a finished record.

1969

Singer Meic Stevens shared ideas from his experience in England, suggesting how a “real” studio session could improve the production process and sound quality of Welsh records.

They also felt that more could be done to promote new Welsh records and to improve distribution across Wales. Determined to take control, they formed a new independent company. With a £500 loan from their friend Brian Morgan Edwards, Sain released its first record.

In June 1969, a studio in London was hired. Meic Stevens produced the session, and with help from Heather Jones and others, Huw Jones’ track Dŵr was recorded. It introduced a completely new sound to Welsh entertainment. The revolution had begun.

The 70s

Sain initially used various studios in London and Bristol before discovering the world-famous Rockfield Studio in Monmouth. Inspired by this, Dafydd and Huw decided to establish their own studio.

In 1970, Sain moved from Brian Morgan Edwards’ front room in Cardiff to Llandwrog, then to an old factory canteen in Penygroes Industrial Estate in 1973. Staff were hired for the first time, including an accounts clerk and a recording engineer.

Sain’s first multi-track studio was built in an old cowshed on Gwernafalau Farm, Llandwrog, in 1975. The farm owners, Osborn and Glesni Jones, charged rent in the form of a copy of every record Sain released. The studio opened in June 1975, with one of its first sessions featuring the band Brân.

Gwernafalau studio opened in June 1975, and one of the first groups to record there was Brân.

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1973

In 1973, Edward H. Dafis disrupted the traditional Noson Lawen scene, creating a clear divide between entertainment for younger audiences and the older generations. While traditional artists like Hogia’r Wyddfa, Trebor Edwards, and Tony and Aloma remained the backbone of the Welsh record industry, new, diverse talents began emerging. Sain reflected this shift, releasing records by bands and artists like Mynediad am Ddim, Plethyn, Hergest, Tebot Piws, Bryn Fôn, Caryl Parry Jones, Endaf Emlyn, and Tecwyn Ifan, among others.

The 80s

1988-2001

In 1988, Sain launched CRAI, its first rock and pop sub-label, under the guidance of Rhys Mwyn. Its debut release was Ffidlan by Y Cynghorwyr. CRAI attracted a range of bands, including Bob Delyn a’r Ebillion, Yr Anhrefn, Anweledig, Yr Alarm, Big Leaves, Gwacamoli, Gogz, Topper a Catatonia. This reflected the growing demand for fresh musical styles and the tendency for bands to seek their own identity and labels, a trend that has continued.

2001-2019

Since opening its first 8-track studio at Gwernafalau in 1975, Sain Studios continued evolving. A 24-track Studio 1 opened in 1980, followed by Studio 2 in 1984, which is now primarily used for band rehearsals, and Studio 3 in 2010, mainly for dubbing children’s cartoons for S4C. Studio 3 is also available as a self-contained unit.

Sain Studios

2019 to Present

  • In 2019, Sain celebrated its 50th anniversary with an exhibition curated by artist Manon Awst, featuring contributions from young artists. A large mural of Sain artists was created and is now permanently displayed at Sain’s headquarters in Llandwrog.

    Today, Sain Studios are managed by Osian and Ifan from the band Candelas, and Aled from Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog. It remains busier than ever, with exciting plans for the future.

  • Sain, as Wales’ oldest independent record label, recently launched a project to digitise its entire back catalogue of over 2,000 records and reimagine its studios in Llandwrog.

    Through these efforts, Sain ensures its music will be preserved for future generations, igniting a new era for Welsh music.