CMF Song 1 Indie Night 1 - Review

While 2020 might feel like stepping in chewing gum, and coronavirus thinking it could have frozen the whole music industry- it is thriving in the digital world now more than ever. KO pandemic. 

The amazing people from University of South Wales in collaboration Foxy Roxies and us, KCL, brought you something you have never seen before, an online festival, which means you can listen to live music from your bedroom, kitchen, or shed for free. Easily accessible live streams will take you to the heart of the British music scene and its various genres each day from 29th of April till the 3rd of May.

CMF Festival is also raising money for the charity called Heads Above The Waves, a non-profit organisation that supports young people and raises awareness about mental health issues. It is important that we support each other now more than ever, especially that we are all stuck in isolation, so let’s text our friends, call our grandmas, let’s make sure everyone is doing alright. 

The first event of the festival kicked off with indie music, and we had a pleasure to virtually rub shoulders with some great Cardiff based acts like Yasmine & the Euphoria and The Rotanas, Dyme, Beano Naboo and the Real Keepers, Bloom, and Nathan Warnes. 

For extra festival vibes I actually dressed up and did makeup, coronavirus ain’t stopping me from going to gigs and living my life, at least in the lockdown sense.

Our host for the night, Ben, led us through all the performances, starting off with Nathan Warnes, who opened his set with the newest single “The Crowd”, from the corner of his bedroom I’m guessing. Same as Nathan, Dyme were streaming from home as well. Dyme’s fantastic twist of pop and alternative brought a new vibe to the festival. Definitely something to chill to, catchy songs with incredible vocals, sometimes even dreamy I’d say. The alt-pop collective performed “Different Side” (my personal fave) followed by “Could Be Anything” and “Wht.Yth”, then finished their set with “Distance”, adding a lockdown reference.  

Due to isolation, bloom! couldn’t perform for us at its full strength. Instead, we saw the band’s singer by herself- Sophie with great acoustics and powerful vocals. I saw the band live a couple of months back, when life used to be normal, and with or without the electrics- bloom! smashes it anyways.

Yasmine & the Euphoria were just strikingly fantastic, my jaw dropped straight onto the floor, vocals and electric guitar stole my heart. It makes me want to scream as I’m listening to the stream again, I’m begging for a gig. The 15-minute set was pre-recorded by Foxy Roxies, who also brought us Beano Naboo and the Real Keepers, and provided the incredible sound and video quality. 

Brought to Cardiff Music Festival by KCL, The Rotanas welcomed us with the sound of opening a can, and an acoustic version of their new track called “Spinner”. Inspired by the 90s, gritty yet subtle Gritpop band performed a 12-minute set last night. In a strange twist of fate, I’ve never seen The Rotanas live, and considering my love for Britpop, I’ve always wanted to!

CMF Festival will continue at 4:00pm this afternoon with its second event called “Moonlight”.

Kinga Balasz

The Acid House Revolution - A Moral Panic

NME Front page, 19 November 1988

(Credit: New Musical Express)

“Out of respect for Johnny Walker, Paul Oakenfold, Nicky Holloway, Danny Rampling and all the people who gave us these times… And to the government, I stick my middle finger up with regards to the Criminal Justice Bill” 

- The Streets, ‘Weak Become Heroes’, Original Pirate Material  

Beginning in the late 1980s and continuing into the 90s, the acid house movement created a subculture like no other. During this time, the word ‘rave’ not only described the large-scale events that captivated millions, but became a metaphor for a revolution. It allowed young party-goers to experience an incomparable sense of freedom, love and euphoria; escapism from the stresses and strains of the outside world. 

Shoom Club Membership Card (Credit: Vice)

After visiting Ibiza’s famed Amnesia club, a group of four DJs brought the mind-blowing sounds of Chicago house to the UK; popularising it for the very first time. Paul Oakenfold, Danny Rampling, Nicky Holloway and Johnny Walker helped revolutionise the British house music scene and normalised rave culture, despite continuous media outcries. When Danny Rampling’s ’Shoom’ club nights went ahead in London using techno veteran Carl Cox’s sound system, it marked the beginning of the acid house revolution, and the rise in popularity of illegal raves up and down the country.

Danny Rampling, Shoom Club London

(Photograph Copyright: Dave Swindles)

Despite the influence of the ‘Ibiza Four’, and the ever-growing popularity of acid house in the UK, an inevitable ‘moral panic’ erupted; demonising an entire subculture and the values they stood for.  In the sociological field, a moral panic defines the escalating public concern over certain behaviours, particularly youth disturbances. The term was first referenced by British sociologist Jock Young (1971) and his study into increasing drug abuse and the growing public concern that followed. However, the concept was formally introduced one year later, with Stanley Cohen’s study into the organised fights between two conflicting British subcultures, Mods and Rockers (1972). 

The term characterised the media’s reaction to these fights, and was later used to define the revolt against the establishment in the form of acid raves. The ‘smiley’ symbol, that was familiarised within rave and ecstasy culture, was prohibited by high street chain Top Shop, followed by the banning of any records containing the word ‘acid’ from the world’s longest running weekly music show, Top of the Pops. 

UK Ravers protesting the 1994 Criminal Justice Bill

(Credit: Vice)

The rave scene presented itself as an outright disruption to Thatcherism, and the government’s long standing battle against the subculture continued into the mid-90s with the Criminal Justice Bill. Clause 63 of this bill was set out to put an end to raves, applying to any “gathering on land in the open air of 100 or more persons” (British Government, 1994). Never before had the British government “considered young people’s music so subversive as to prohibit it”, even when compared to other “post-war moral panics about the activities of Teddy Boys, Mods, Hippies and Punks” (Collin, 1998). 

Luckily, as authoritarian Thatcherist values petered out, and the availability of media increased, the moral panic surrounding the rave subculture died down. The revolution that sparked outrage among millions became an integral part of the British live music scene that we cherish today, including across South Wales.

Below features some images from Swansea’s rave scene in full swing (1993).

(Photograph copyright: Tony ‘Spealberg’ Evans)  

Credit - Rory Chapman

Yws Gwynedd - Sebona Fi (review)

Mae cerddoriaeth yn rhywbeth sydd yn atgyfnerthu teimladau, ac maent yn fodd o gysylltu gyda’r byd o’ch cwmpas trwy gydymdeimlo neu gydrannu. I rai, mae cerddoriaeth yn ffordd i fedru siarad heb angen defnyddio geiriau eich hunan, neu efallai maent yn adlewyrchu teimladau o hiraeth. Wrth gwrs, weithiau mae pwrpas gerddoriaeth yn llai na hynny - efallai maent ddim ond yn rhywbeth sydd yn chwarae yn y cefndir i fedru osgoi tawelwch. Ond, i finnau, mae’r gân ‘Sebona fi’ gan Yws Gwynedd yn fwy na dim ond ffordd i lenwi tawelwch. 

Mae’r gân wedi’i lleoli o fewn nghanol y byd cerddoriaeth Cymraeg. Yn 2017, wnaeth Sebona fi cyrraedd brig siart #40Mawr Radio Cymru, ac yn 2019 wnaeth y cân cyrraedd y 10 cân Gymraeg sydd wedi’u ffrydio mwyaf ar Spotify. Ynghyd a hynny, maent yn gân sydd wedi cael ei berfformio ardraws y gwald – gan gynnwys digwyddiadau megis Maes B a Tafwyl. Ymhellach na hynny, wnaeth y band ennill y wobr ‘Band Gorau’ o fewn Gwobrau’r Selar yn 2018. 

Efallai, na fydd y gân yn medru cynnig rhywbeth i bawb sydd yn eu gwrando arno, ond mae’r melodi ynghyd a’r geiriau yn atgyfnerthu teimladau o hapusrwydd ac undod o fewn awyrgylch sydd yn adlewyrchu amserau da o dan yr haul gyda ffrindiau.  Ynghyd a hynny, maent yn atgyfnerthu’r hwyl sydd yn eiconograffig o’r haf ac maent yn galluogi’r gwrandawyr i fedru lleoli ei hunan o fewn atgofion a theimladau sydd felly yn magu hiraeth am y dyddiau da. 

Am gân sydd yn ddechrau gan ein lleoli o fewn awyrgylch positif, maent yn arwain ni ar daith trwy’r atgofion o amserau da ac mae’n ein hannog i fod yn rhan o’r daith – “Dos am dro reit drost y môr”. Yn fwy n hynny, mae’r gân yn atgyfnerthu themâu o ddim pryderon a chydymdeimlad trwy sicrhau i’r rhai sydd yn gwrando arno, nad oed unrhyw beth i boeni amdan, maent yn hybu cydymdeimlad a theimladau o ryddid ynghyd ag ymlacio. Mae’r themâu yma yn rhedeg trwy’r gân o’r ddechau i’r ddiwedd ac mae’r geiriau bron yn ceisio siarad â phawb sydd yn ei wrando arno gan sôn am sut yr ydym ni yn medru diweddu yn yr un safle, felly does dim ots beth rydych chi’n wneud yn fywyd os nad ydych yn ei fwynhau. Neges sydd yn fy marn i, yn bwysig iawn - 

“Cos da ni gyd yn rhedeg fel rhyw lygod mawr

Os gen ti hanner awr sebona fi

A cofia’r un hen bethau sydd yn boeni pawb

On pridd yn y pendraw yda ni”

Mae’r eirfa sydd yn cael eu defnyddio trwy gydol y gân yn magu dealltwriaeth o sut nad oes angen poeni am y pethau bach, ynghyd a sut weithiau mae angen i ni fel cymdeithas cymryd amser i eistedd i lawr ac arafu gan fod bywyd yn symud mor gyflym. Wedi’r cyfan, “fydd pob un dim yn iawn, os ti’n cysgu trwy’r prynhawn”. 

Nad ydy pwrpas y gân yma wedi’i selio ar nodweddion neu neges gymhleth, maent yn pwysleisio’r pwysigrwydd sydd gan yr agweddau syml o fwynhau bywyd, a sut mae hynny yn medru arwain at fyw bywyd gwell – “clyw dim byd i agor dy fyd”. Mae’r pwyslais yma yn enghraifft o sut mae’r gân yn adlewyrchu’r hyn sydd angen ar bawb; amser i: 

“Blas y grawnwin yn gryf yn y gwin a'rCwmni'n dda”

Wrth gwrs, mae rhaid i ni ystyried sut efallai nad ydy’r gân yn un sydd gyda neges wrthrychol, maent yn cyflwyno cyfleoedd i’r gwrandawyr i fedru dyfeisio ystyr eu hunan. Yn yr achos hwn, mae’r cysyniad o flasu’r gwin a chysgu trwy’r prynhawn yn atgyfnerthu’r hyn sydd yn bwysig i’r band – ac felly, fe allwch adnabod yr hyn sydd yn cael eu sôn trwy gydol y cân fel agweddau goddrychol. I rai, fe gall y nodweddion fel y gwin a.y.b.. cynrychioli unrhyw beth sydd yn cynhyrchu teimlad o hapusrwydd, neu sydd yn eich galluog i gymryd saib o fywyd prysur. Yn fwy na hynny, mae’r gân yn adlewyrchu pa mor bwysig ydy fedru cymryd saib, hyd yn oed os ydy saib yn golygu cymryd “hanner awr” i fedru edrych yn ôl eich hunan. Mae’r gân yn eich annog i gofio’r hyn sydd yn gwneud chi’n hapus, a sicrhau fod gennych yr amser i wneud yr hyn sydd yn nodweddiadol o gynhyrchu llawenydd.

Ynghyd a’r gân ei hunan, mae cyfansoddiad y fideo hefyd yn atgyfnerthu’r nodweddion sydd wedi cael eu dadansoddi uchod. Mae pob golygfa o fewn y fideo yn adlewyrchu’r hyn sydd yn cynrychioli hapusrwydd i’r band, ac wrth gwrs, mae hynny’n cynnwys dychwelyd i Gaerdydd i chwarae gig yng Nghlwb Ifor Bach. 

Gan Tezni Grace Bancroft-Plummer.

Teznigbp@gmail.com

The History of Welsh Language music.

Here’s a brief overview of the development of Welsh language music through the decades. 

The Welsh have long been known as the people of the ‘land of song’ and to some extent, they’re not wrong. Wales is a beautiful country with a beautiful traditional language to boot. A Celtic language in origin, Welsh has given the people of Wales a sense of identity and cultural significance. This significance is full of rich history and cultural values that are often communicated through music and song, whether that be in the most traditional sense or not. Some may argue that music produced in the Welsh language is just like any other music, but I’d have to strongly disagree. 

Unfortunately, many of the earliest forms of Welsh language music have been lost throughout the generations due to the oppression faced by the language from the church and from England. Such context dates back to they days in which England would suppress any language that was not of course, English. Whilst this is devastating on many levels, during the 1860’s there was a revival of the language, and as they say, the rest is history. 

Stereotypically, many are of the belief that Welsh language music solely revolves around large male voice choirs, and traditional ‘caneuon gwerin’ (folk songs). Of course, such examples are consistent of the musical art that does originate in Wales, but much like the remainder of society, the Welsh language music industry has expanded greatly. Traditional roots such as the caneuon gwerin have paved the way for Welsh language artists to express the beauty of the language through a variety of musical genres. From the birth of the Eisteddfod (a traditional music and poetry & ‘cerdd dant’ festival – that now contains a lot more than just that) - during the 12th century, to the Welsh folk songs such as ‘ Yr Eneth gadd ei gwrthod (The rejected maiden), the history is rich and continues to grow.  

Although, during the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s there was a surge of popularity in regards to Welsh language music. This was particularly due yes, the popularity of traditional Celtic music as a genre, but also due to the movement against the oppression of the Welsh people and their language. Singers such as Dafydd Iwan adopted a position with Y Gymdeithas Y Iaith Gymraeg, to campaign for the Welsh Language to be considered an official language. Naturally, the promotion of protest music is one of the most significant sub-genres of Welsh music, even today (which will be touched upon later). Music has long been situated as an outlet for many forms of expression, and within Wales many of the traditional songs have a meaning based within political themes and rhetoric. Naturaaly, protest music cannot be singularly identified as simply developed by the Welsh- it’s a multi-cultural, muli-generational tool, boasting the right for expression. 

A great resource for learning more about the struggle of the Welsh nationalists during that time is “Painting the world green: Dafydd Iwan and the Welsh protest ballad (2005)” by Prof. E. Wyn James, a professor at the school of Welsh in Cardiff university.

Of course, these eras also saw some of the best, well known acts to come out of Wales to rise to fame; Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey for example (to name a few) despite their content being produced in English, their welsh heritage was worn proudly on their arm - With songs such as “The green green grass of home” reminding Tom Jones of his small town upbringings. This era also saw a big career development for acts such as Mary Hopkin. Hopikn originally sang in the Welsh before being spotted by Paul McCartney on the show ‘Opportunity Knocks’ – you can find a clip of Mary Hopikn returning to preform on opportunity knocks here… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dJQR1bBFvM

The latter years of the 60’s also saw the development of the record label ‘Sain’, founded by Dafydd Iwan and Huw Jones; a record label that still exists to act as a platform for Welsh artists and their music today. As of the present day, Sain has become a household name within the Welsh music industry, with several labels located under the ‘Sain’ umbrella, they’ve signed acts such as Y Bandana and Caryl Parry Jones – some of the most well known Welsh language artists of the last 20 years. 

The 70’s saw the rise of acts such as Meic Stevens (signed by Sain), and an influx of genre diversity within Welsh language music. Acts such as Geraint Jarman ar Cynganeddwyr and Trwynau Coch introduced new music with reggae and punk influence taking pride of place within their music.  Here’s a song by Geraint Jarman ar Cynganeddwyr called ‘Para’ -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usc0DiIihyc

Acts such as Anrehfn and Datblygu ruled the Welsh language music industry during the 80’s and 90’s. The music created by them helped transform the Welsh music scene to be one of embracing a new wave of groups, soloists and genres. For example, Llwybr Llaethog – a duet from Conwy – were known for their musical experimentation and variety, with their songs gaining influence from a variety of musical sub-genres. These artists paved the way for the diverse Welsh language music industry that’s visible today, particularly as it was during this time when groups such as Catalonia and Super Furry Animals began to make their way into the mainstream. 

“Recruiting his friend Kevs Ford, he founded Llwybr Llaethog - a revolutionary dance outfit pioneering a bass-heavy agit-rap style with a sharp satirical edge that single-handedly invented the genre of Welsh-language hip-hop in one fell swoop.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/llwybr-llaethog/pages/biography.shtml

We can’t discuss the history of the Welsh music industry without paying attention to some of the greats of the 90’s. In this instance we reference to The Manic Street Preachers and the Stereophonics.

“The Manics were the first Welsh band to really make a commercial breakthrough in the 90s. Unfortunately for them, it meant they had to suffer the clichés of lazy reviewers, with endless references to leeks, daffodils and dragons. Oh, how the boyos must have laughed.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/history/pages/history_1990s.shtml

Even though the materials produced by the aforementioned groups aren’t in the Welsh language, they often pay tribute to their heritage, and have aided in locating Welsh society and their artists in the mainstream UK/global music industry. A quick Google search will introduce you to a variety of playlists that, with a short amount of listening will provide the opportunity for understanding why they’ve had such a big influence. 

Perhaps, today’s environment is where Welsh language music truly can thrive. With an emphasis on real, raw expression through drum and bass genres or the continuation of protest-based material, the Welsh language music scene is more diverse than ever. Dydd Miwsig Cymru 2020 and saw the expansion of welsh music being preformed across the UK with bands such as Adwaith (a indie band with a key political vein) experiencing their music being adopted in Liverpool. 

As coined within a recent article by Vice (https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/n7jpgq/the-unstoppable-rise-of-welsh-language-music?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter), we’re at a stage where the rise of Welsh language music is ‘unstoppable’. The music of Wales and its artists has begun to reclaim its value and cultural identification, and it’s a sight to behold. Particularly when you consider how within the last 12 months, Alffa (a blues rock duo from Llanrug in North Wales) was the first Welsh language artist to receive a million streams for their song ‘Gwenwyn’. Or perhaps most surprisingly, in January the 1983 song “Yma o Hyd” beat some of the world’s biggest acts – such as Stormzy or Ed Sheeran – to the top spot in the UK Itunes chart.  For me, Yma o Hyd and its recent success is the biggest affirmation of the return and progression of not only Welsh language music, but also Welsh language culture, and just as 1983, we’re not going anywhere. Welsh language music, whether used as a political protest, or an emotional outlet, whatever its purpose, is uniting the country and bringing back a sense of identity to our mother tongue. 

Annual events such as Maes B and the Eisteddfod or Tafwyl  - in conjunction with small, local music venues such as Clwb Ifor Bach - truly are a safe space for the exploration and celebration of some of the amazing art this country has to offer. It’s vital that these spaces are kept alive and that the Welsh Language music industry can continue to thrive.  

I’m proud to be Welsh, and you should be too. 

Written by,

Tezni Bancroft-Plummer 

For those interested in hearing some great Welsh language music, here are a few of my favourites (other than what’s been previously mentioned) – 

• Brenin Calonnau – Candelas 

• Effro Fyddi di – Yws Gwynedd

• Ennill – Fleur De Lys

• Heno Yn Yr Anglesey – Y Bandana 

• Llwytho’r gwn – Candelas 

• Sebona Fi – Yws Gwynedd 

• Haf 2013 – Fleur De Lys 

• Tyrd Mewn O’r Glaw – Caban 

Hanes cerddoriaeth Gymraeg.

Dyma drosolwg byr o ddatblygiad cerddoriaeth Gymraeg trwy'r degawdau.

Mae Cymru wedi cael eu hadnabod ers amser maith fel ‘gwlad y gân’ ac i raddau, nid ydy hyn yn anghywir. Mae Cymru yn wlad brydferth gydag iaith draddodiadol anhygoel. Yn iaith Geltaidd o darddiad, mae'r Gymraeg wedi medru galluogi ymdeimlad o hunaniaeth ac arwyddocâd diwylliannol i bobl Cymru. Mae'r arwyddocâd hwn yn llawn hanes cyfoethog a gwerthoedd diwylliannol sy'n aml yn cael eu cyfleu trwy gerddoriaeth a chân, p'un a yw hynny yn yr ystyr fwyaf traddodiadol ai peidio. Efallai bydd rhai yn dadlau bod cerddoriaeth a gynhyrchir yn y Gymraeg yn ymddangos fel unrhyw gerddoriaeth arall, ond mae'n rhaid i mi anghytuno'n gryf.

Yn anffodus, collwyd llawer o'r gerddoriaeth Gymraeg cynharaf trwy'r cenedlaethau oherwydd y gormes a wynebir gan yr iaith o'r eglwys ac o Loegr. Mae cyd-destun o'r fath yn dyddio'n ôl i sut y byddai Lloegr yn atal unrhyw iaith nad oedd yn Saesneg wrth gwrs. Er bod hyn yn ddinistriol ar sawl lefel, yn ystod y 1860au bu adfywiad yn yr iaith, ac fel y dywedant, hanes yw'r gweddill.

Yn ystrydebol, mae llawer o’r gred bod cerddoriaeth Gymraeg wedi’u hymwneud a chorau llais gwrywaidd mawr  a chaneuon gwerin draddodiadol. Wrth gwrs, mae enghreifftiau o'r fath yn gyson o'r gelf gerddorol sy'n tarddu yng Nghymru, ond yn debyg iawn i weddill y gymdeithas, mae'r diwydiant cerddoriaeth Gymraeg wedi ehangu. Mae gwreiddiau traddodiadol megis y caneuon gwerin wedi paratoi'r ffordd i artistiaid Cymraeg fedru fynegi harddwch yr iaith trwy amrywiaeth o genres cerddorol. O enedigaeth yr Eisteddfod yn ystod y 12fed ganrif, i ganeuon gwerin Cymru fel 'Yr Eneth gad ei bywyd’, mae'r hanes yn gyfoethog ac yn parhau i dyfu.

Yn ystod y 1960au, 70au ac 80au, bu ymchwydd o boblogrwydd o ran cerddoriaeth Gymraeg. Gall hyn fedru amlygu’r sut daith ei boblogaeth o boblogaidd o gerddoriaeth Geltaidd draddodiadol fel genre, ond gall hefyd cael eu gweld fel canlynid i’r symudiad yn erbyn gormes pobl Cymru a'u hiaith. Mabwysiadodd cantorion fel Dafydd Iwan swydd gydag Y Gymdeithas Yr Iaith Gymraeg, i ymgyrchu am geisio galluogi’r iaith Gymraeg i gael ei hystyried yn iaith swyddogol. Yn naturiol, mae hyrwyddo cerddoriaeth brotest yn un o is-genres mwyaf arwyddocaol cerddoriaeth Gymreig, hyd yn oed heddiw. Mae cerddoriaeth wedi bod yn allfa ar gyfer sawl math o fynegiant ers amser maith, ac yng Nghymru mae gan lawer o'r caneuon traddodiadol ystyr sydd wedi'i seilio ar themâu gwleidyddol. Ni ellir cyfeirio at gerddoriaeth brotest fel cysyniad a ddatblygwyd gan y Gymraeg yn unig - mae'n offeryn amlddiwylliannol, aml-genhedlaeth, sy'n ymfalchïo yn yr hawl i fynegiant.

Adnodd gwych ar gyfer dysgu mwy am frwydr y cenedlaetholwyr Cymreig yn ystod yr amser hwnnw ydy “Painting the world green: Dafydd Iwan and the Welsh protest ballad (2005)” gan yr Athro E. Wyn James, athro yn ysgol y Gymraeg yng Mhrifysgol Caerdydd.

Wrth gwrs, gwelodd y cyfnodau hyn rhai o’r bobl fwyaf adnabyddus i ddod allan o Gymru i godi i enwogrwydd; Tom Jones a Shirley Bassey er enghraifft (i enwi ond ychydig). Er nad oedd eu cynnwys yn cael ei gynhyrchu yn yr iaith Gymraeg, gwisgwyd eu treftadaeth Gymreig yn falch ar eu braich - Gyda chaneuon fel “The green green grass ” yn atgoffa Tom Jones o'i dref fach lle gafodd ei magu. Yn yr oes hon gallwn hefyd gweld datblygiad gyrfa fawr ar gyfer cyneuwyr megis Mary Hopkin. Canodd Hopkin yn y Gymraeg yn wreiddiol cyn cael ei gweld gan Paul McCartney ar y sioe 'Opportunity Knocks' - gallwch ddod o hyd i glip o Mary Hopkin yn dychwelyd i ‘Opportunity Knocks’  yma ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= 5dJQR1bBFvM

Ym mlynyddoedd olaf y 60au datblygwyd y label recordio ‘Sain’, a sefydlwyd gan Dafydd Iwan a Huw Jones; label recordio sy'n dal i fodoli i fod yn llwyfan i artistiaid o Gymru a'u cerddoriaeth heddiw. Hyd heddiw, mae Sain wedi dod yn enw nodweddiadol yn niwydiant cerddoriaeth Cymru, gyda sawl label o dan ei ymbarél 'Sain', maent wedi arwyddo artistiaid megis Y Bandana a Caryl Parry Jones - rhai o'r artistiaid fwyaf adnabyddus yn ystod yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf.

Gwelodd y 70au gynnydd mewn actau fel Meic Stevens (wedi’u llofnodi gan Sain), a mewnlifiad o amrywiaethau genre o fewn cerddoriaeth Gymraeg. Cyflwynodd actau fel Geraint Jarman ar Cynganeddwyr a Trwynau Coch gerddoriaeth newydd gyda dylanwad reggae a phync gan ymfalchïo yn eu cerddoriaeth. Dyma gân gan Geraint Jarman ar Cynganeddwyr o’r enw ‘Para’ -https: //www.youtube.com/watch? V = usc0DiIihyc

Wnaeth actau megis Anrhefn a Datblygu yn rheoli’r diwydiant cerddoriaeth Gymraeg yn ystod yr 80au a’r 90au. Helpodd y gerddoriaeth a grëwyd ganddynt i drawsnewid sîn gerddoriaeth Cymru i fod yn un o gofleidio grwpiau, unawdwyr a genres newydd. Enghraifft o hyn ydy, Llwybr Llaethog - deuawd o Gonwy - yn adnabyddus am eu harbrofi cerddorol a'u hamrywiaeth. Fe wnaeth yr artistiaid hyn baratoi'r ffordd ar gyfer y diwydiant cerddoriaeth Cymraeg amrywiol sydd i'w weld heddiw, yn enwedig fel yr oedd yn ystod pan ddechreuodd grwpiau fel Catalwnia a Super Furry Animals wneud eu ffordd i'r brif ffrwd.

“Recruiting his friend Kevs Ford, he founded Llwybr Llaethog - a revolutionary dance outfit pioneering a bass-heavy agit-rap style with a sharp satirical edge that single-handedly invented the genre of Welsh-language hip-hop in one fell swoop.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/llwybr-llaethog/pages/biography.shtml

Ni allwn drafod hanes diwydiant cerddoriaeth Cymru heb roi sylw i rai o’r artistiaid fwyaf enwog y 90au. Yn yr achos hwn rydym yn cyfeirio at ‘The Manic Street Preachers’ a'r ‘Stereophonics’.

“The Manics were the first Welsh band to really make a commercial breakthrough in the 90s. Unfortunately for them, it meant they had to suffer the clichés of lazy reviewers, with endless references to leeks, daffodils and dragons. Oh, how the boyos must have laughed.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/history/pages/history_1990s.shtml

Er nad yw'r caneuon a gynhyrchir gan y grwpiau uchod wedi’u cyfansoddi yn yr iaith Gymraeg, maent yn aml yn talu teyrnged i'w treftadaeth. Bydd chwiliad cyflym ar Google yn eich cyflwyno i amrywiaeth o restrau chwarae a fydd, gyda chryn dipyn o wrando, yn gyfle i ddeall pam eu bod wedi cael dylanwad mor fawr.

Efallai, amgylchedd heddiw ydy’r awyrgylch gorau i sicrhau fod cerddoriaeth Gymraeg yn ffynnu a datblygu. Gyda phwyslais ar fynegiant go iawn ac amrwd,  trwy genres drwm a bas neu ganeuon sydd yn seiliedig ar brotest, mae'r sîn gerddoriaeth Gymraeg yn fwy amrywiol nag erioed. Wnaeth Dydd Miwsig Cymru 2020 weld ehangiad o gerddoriaeth Gymraeg ledled y DU, gyda bandiau megis Adwaith (band indie gyda gwythïen wleidyddol) yn weld ei cherddoriaeth yn cael ei mabwysiadu yn Lerpwl.

Wnaeth erthygl Vice diweddar awgrymu sut  (https://www.vice.com/cy_uk/article/n7jpgq/the-unstoppable-rise-of-welsh-language-music?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter), rydym ni mewn cyfnod lle mae cynnydd cerddoriaeth Gymraeg yn 'ddi-rwystr'. Mae cerddoriaeth Cymru a’i hartistiaid wedi dechrau adennill ei gwerth a’i hadnabyddiaeth ddiwylliannol... maent wir yn anhygoel i’w gweld. Yn enwedig pan ystyriwch sut o fewn y 12 mis diwethaf,  roedd Alffa (deuawd roc blues o Lanelli yng Ngogledd Cymru) yn yr artist Cymraeg cyntaf i dderbyn miliwn o ffrydiau ar gyfer eu cân ‘Gwenwyn’. Neu efallai yn fwyaf rhyfeddol, ym mis Ionawr fe gurodd cân 1983 “Yma o Hyd” (gan Dafydd Iwan) rai o actau mwyaf y byd - fel Stormzy neu Ed Sheeran - i’r brig yn siart Itunes y DU. I mi, mae Yma o Hyd a'i lwyddiant diweddar yn atgyfnerthiad o sut mae diwylliant cerddoriaeth yr iaith Gymraeg a’i ddiwylliant yn gryfach na erioed.  Ac yn union fel 1983, nid ydym yn mynd i unman. Mae cerddoriaeth Gymraeg, beth bynnag yw eu pwrpas, yn uno'r wlad ac yn cryfhau ein hunaniaeth a’n mamiaith.

Mae digwyddiadau blynyddol megis Maes B a'r Eisteddfod neu Tafwyl – ynghyd â lleoliadau cerddoriaeth leol fach fel Clwb Ifor Bach - yn darparu lleoliadau diogel ar gyfer archwilio a dathlu'r gelf anhygoel sydd gan y wlad hon i'w gynnig. Mae'n hanfodol bod y lleoedd hyn yn cael eu cadw'n fyw er mwyn sicrhau fod y diwydiant cerddoriaeth Cymraeg barhau i ffynnu.

Rwy'n falch o fod yn Gymraeg, a dylech chi fod hefyd.

Ysgrifenwyd gan,

Tezni Bancroft-Plummer

I'r rhai sydd â diddordeb mewn clywed rhywfaint o gerddoriaeth Gymraeg wych, dyma ychydig o fy ffefrynnau –

• Brenin Calonnau – Candelas 

• Effro Fyddi di – Yws Gwynedd

• Ennill – Fleur De Lys

• Heno Yn Yr Anglesey – Y Bandana 

• Llwytho’r gwn – Candelas 

• Sebona Fi – Yws Gwynedd 

• Haf 2013 – Fleur De Lys 

• Tyrd Mewn O’r Glaw – Caban