Sesiynau Stiwdio Sain

We’re excited to announce a new compilation album featuring recordings from some of Wales’ brightest young talent – all recorded here at Sain studios under the guidance of producer, Robin Llwyd. The compilation features recordings by Alffa, Bwncath, Glain Rhys, Gwion Emlyn, Hywel Pitts and Rhys Gwynfor and will be released on CD, Friday June 30th with a launch gig the same day @ Noson Pedwar a Chwech , Clwb Canol Dre, Caernarfon with Alffa, Bwncath, Glain Rhys and Hywel Pitts. We’re hoping to develop the series by recording more young artists in the coming months and look forward to hearing new tunes and riffs blaring through the studio walls into the offices next door. Sain released its first single Dwr by Huw Jones back in 1969 and most of the early singles were recorded at the famous Rockfield Studio in Monmouth but in 1975, Sain opened its own studio – a converted cow shed in Gwernafalau farm in Llandwrog, just down the round from our current location. HEFIN ELIS joined the staff as resident producer, and between 1975 and 1979 over a 100 albums were recorded at the 8-track studio, some of these LPs are now collector’s items. The 80s saw a very significant milestone in SAIN’s story with the opening of the new 24-track state-of-the-art studio on the present site and numerous Welsh artists have recorded here over the years, from rock and pop bands to Welsh male voice choirs and opera singers. We’re excited to be able to offer the same opportunity to some of the new young talent on the scene and look forward to seeing their careers develop further. Artists introducing themselves : Rhys Gwynfor – The band and I have been performing together since 2016. The band was formed following a BBC Radio Cymru session where I recorded three songs with Robin Llwyd and Ifan Jones, the session made me realise that I wanted to try and perform the songs live with a full band. The band are Llio Gwynfor, Gwion Llyr Clarke, Robin Llwyd, Dafydd Owain and Carwyn Williams. One of our gigging highlights so far was performing on the National Eisteddfod of Wales stage after Eden in Abergavenny last year – I hope to record more of my songs and release an album soon. Alffa – Sion Eifion Land & Dion Jones. We’re a heavy blues duo from Llanrug, North Wales. Our first year as a band has been a busy one, with gigs around Wales – highlights being performances at Gwobrau Selar and the Urdd Eisteddfod. Recording at Sain studios was a great experience and our aim is to develop with each opportunity. Some of our musical influences include The Black Keys, The White Stripes and Tymbal – our goal is to work on further material in the next few months and record new songs. We’re also competing in Brwydr y Bandiau this year at the National Eisteddfod in Anglesey – performing at Maes B! Bwncath – Llywelyn Elidyr Glyn & Meredydd Wyn Humphreys. We’re a folk rock duo from North West Wales – we compose and perform our own songs and have being doing so since our time in Bangor University where we shared a house together as students. We’ve been performing as Bwncath for two years and have enjoyed singing on stages across Wales – from festivals to pubs, cafes and schools. We’ve been fortunate to work with talented musicians such as Arron Hughes, Carwyn Jones, Siôn Owens and Cai Gruffudd and they’ve all contributed to our sound as a band but it’s probably Gwilym Bowen Rhys and Robin Llwyd who’ve helped us shape and structure our songs and in so, developing a musical style for the band. Robin and Gwilym also play the drums and bass for us live when we require a full band and they’ve both helped us with the recording process. Curiad y Dydd won the ‘Tlws Coffa Alun Sbardun Huws’ prize at last year’s National Eisteddfod of Wales, the competition – set up in memory of the folk rock composer and musician Alun Sbardun Huws was held for the first time last year – from winning this competition came the opportunity to record a session for BBC Radio Cymru and we recorded a cover of Sbardun’s Coedwig ar Dân. We’re busy working on our debut album set for release at this year’s National Eisteddfod in Anglesey, we#ll perform the new album live at Ty Gwerin on the maes late Sunday afternoon. Glain Rhys – I come from Y Bala, North Wales. I started performing with the band last year after entering the Brwydr y Bandiau competition at the National Eisteddfod in Abergavenny. I compose my own material and it varies in genre but I suppose it tends to veer towards folk – I’m inspired to write from personal experiences and from events that happen around me day to day. I’m currently working on new material ready to record my debut album in September for release early next year. Hywel Pitts – I performed on stage for the first time in 2005, playing bass guitar for a band called O’i Phoced at Porthmadog Rugby Club. Following that unsuccessful first gig I decided that a career in music was not for me! Nevertheless, I have been a member of numerous unknown bands over the years, the latest being I Fight Lions and we’re working on our second album at the moment. I also write and perform my own songs that tend to be satirical and talk about cultural apathy, fiscal inequality and shoddy sex-puns and share stages with poets, comedians and fellow musicians across the country. Gwion Emlyn – My name’s Gwion Emlyn and I come from Bethesda, North Wales. I’ve been performing as a solo artist since 2012, whilst I was a student at Aberystwyth University I used to play with the band Gwyryf. I’ve recorded a handful of songs in recent years, the first was Agor y Drws back in 2012, again with Robin Llwyd and was glad of the chance to return to the studio with him again to record Yr Aelwyd. We recorded my first single in Liverpool, it was nice to record closer to home this time. I’ll be moving to Cardiff end of the summer to start work as a teacher in Caerphilly and hope to find time to keep on recording and performing live.