NEWiD

This sixth album from the traditional Welsh outfit also sees the unveiling of a six-piece line-up and a new singer. In the world of Celtic music, Wales is often overshadowed by its cousins Scotland and Ireland, despite the fact that the Welsh language is the best preserved of all the Celtic tongues in the UK. This is reflected in this set of traditional songs and new compositions.

The album title means ‘Change’ in Welsh and can also be interpreted as ‘new identity’ in English, reflecting Allan yn y Fan's changes as the band marks its 20th anniversary. But the foundations of this leading twmpath (the Welsh form of ceilidh) band are still intact. Founder members Geoff Cripps (guitar, bass and bouzouki), Chris Jones (accordion, flute and whistle), Linda Simmonds (mandolin, mandola and bodhrán) and Kate Strudwick (flute, recorder and whistle) are joined by fiddler Alan Cooper and singer Catrin O’Neill. These significant additions add another dimension to the distinctive flute and whistle sound on both tune sets and ballads.