Shimli

At first listen, this is a beautiful second album by the singer, grain grower, cultural historian, and researcher Owen Shiers, AKA Cynefin. Full of stunning songs about nature, the lapwing, grain crops, May carols, poachers, reapers and the medicinal plant wormwood, the album pays homage to disappeared folk traditions such as a shimli, an all-night musical and poetic vigil in mills and workshops, and the folk bards of Ceredigion. This is a respectful nod to the old ways – not in a nostalgic way, but as a gentle reminder of lessons we can still learn from them. Cynefin’s soft, soothing voice and seemingly simple folk tunes carry a poignant message: we’ve lost touch with where our food comes from, who our neighbours are, our traditions and language. While the album is inherently political, its messages are beautifully disguised within heartfelt folk tunes.