In the kiln rooms of West Wales over a century ago, farmers would gather to share stories, recite verse, and sing through the night, as their oats baked around them. This tradition was known as a shimli—a word as soft and lyrical as Carmarthenshire folk singer Owen Shiers’ delivery on this collection of 11 quietly political songs.

A Deeply Rooted Exploration of Welsh Folk Traditions

Recording under the name Cynefin—a Welsh word describing a deep sense of belonging—Shiers’ second album is a carefully curated mix of traditional ballads, musical adaptations of poetry, and original compositions, all sung in Welsh. Each track is shaped by stories collected from rural West Walians, preserving voices and experiences that might otherwise fade into history.

Musically, Shimli is pastoral and evocative, weaving together horns, double bass, piano, and strings in a way that recalls Robert Kirby’s arrangements for Nick Drake. Yet, the album also carries a sunlit, cinematic quality, as if Welsh folk had taken a brief detour through Iberia.

Echoes of the Past in Every Note

The 19th-century fishing ballad Pysgota/Fishing ripples with delicate guitar arpeggios, mimicking the now-diminished flow of the River Teifi. The Machynlleth Wind Band breathes life into the May carol Mae’r Nen Yn Ei Glesni (The Heavens Are Greening), while a spaghetti western flair creeps into Shiers’ whistling on Cornicyll (Lapwing).

The voices of Shiers’ interviewees also punctuate the album, adding an almost documentary-like feel. Tracks like Shili Ga Bwd (Wormwood) and Pont Llanio—a song about a once-thriving factory now overtaken by weeds—recall the atmospheric storytelling of King Creosote & Jon Hopkins’ Diamond Mine (2010).

A Gentle Rebellion Against Cultural Amnesia

In his bilingual liner notes, Shiers describes Shimli as “a stake in the ground for the diverse and the disappearing in our age of homogenisation and mass amnesia.” Yet, rather than channeling his message through anger or protest, his sound leans towards quiet contemplation. His plain, unembellished voice avoids sentimentality, instead fostering a sense of intimate communion with the listener.

Also Out This Month

• Gavin Fairhall Lever – Tearing Down Walls (self-released): A thrilling fusion of Celtic, Eastern European folk, and jazz harmony, driven by James Patrick Gavin’s gnashing fiddle, Tim Fairhall’s double bass, and Adrian Lever’s multi-instrumental textures. Tracks like Set Sail and Night Sky With Exit Wounds shimmer with energy.
• Jacken Elswyth & CA Conrad – A Cast of Flowers (Lanterne Records): A beautifully raw collaboration where Elswyth’s improvisational folk meets Conrad’s experimental poetry, available alongside a stunning mini-zine.
• Various Artists – In the Bath: A unique folk reinterpretation of pop classics, featuring Marry Waterson transforming the Spice Girls’ Say You’ll Be There into a Kirsty MacColl-style ballad, while Angeline Morrison and her zither give PJ Harvey’s The Dancer an ethereal makeover.