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v/a - welsh rare beat volume 1 - finders keepers - cd

Genre: Wave / Pop / Rock - Psych

1. Nia Ben Aur - Chi Sydd Ar Fai
2. Bran - Y Gwylwyr
3. Huw Jones - Mathonwy
4. Sidan - Di Enw
5. Elleri Llwyd - Hwiangerdd
6. Endaf Emlyn - Dawns Y Pair
7. Y Dyniadon Ynfyd Hirfelyn Tesog - Cwmwl Gwym
8. Yr Atgyfodiad - Cynnwrf Yn Ein Gwlad
9. Gillian Elisa - Hedfan
10. Morus Elfryn - Marw A Wnaeth Dy Dad
11. Meic Stevens - Y Brawd Houdini
12. Heather Jones - Nos Du
13. Gorffenwyd ­ Y Cynllwyn
14. Y Tebot Piws - Godro
15. Eleri Llwyd - O Gymru
16. Edward H. Dafis - Y Penderfyniad
17. Bran - Dyddiau Dwys
18. Y Diliau - Blodeuwedd
19. Huw Jones - Dwr
20. Edward H. Dafis - Calan Gaeaf
21. Bran - Breuddwyd
22. Meic Stevens - Y Crwydryn A Mi
23. Y Tebot Piws - Mae Rhywyn Wedi Dwyn Fy Nhrwyn
24. Heather Jones - Penhryn Gwyn
25. Titch Gwilym - Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau

Compiled by Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), Andy Votel and Dominic Thomas.

When you first discover an EP that fits this description on the enigmatic Sain label it takes a while before you successfully identify its original country of origin - is it Turkish? Is it Hungarian? No it's Welsh!!! With the sleeve being strictly devoid of any English language, you can't quite figure out if its a private-press or the results of a community music project. This is record collector nirvana, until you find another Sain record and this is where the addictive gene takes hold...

A Sain EP has all the unique and exotic trappings of a French pop EP so the fact that it was comparatively manufactured in a skimming stone's distance of your local record shop is almost unbelievable. The added fact that the label itself has a political history not dissimilar to your favourite Brazilian or Turkish records is another surprise. On further inspection you realise that Sain could arguably be the longest running, self-styled, British contemporary, independent record label to exist in our lifetime AND the fact that its non-conformist ideals predate punk by almost 10 years could surely confirm that Sain records is in fact... the coolest record label to exist ever!!!???

Sain's A&R policy epitomises what an indie label SHOULD act like... without boundaries. You like prog-rock with blueprint trip-hop beats? So did Sain. You like ethereal girl groups with mystical acid folk overtones? So did Sain. You like psychedelic rock operas based on druidism and witchcraft? So did Sain. How about a radical Welsh answer to 'The Grumbleweeds' with a fat-ass 4/4 hip-hop breakbeat that's been sampled by either Cut Chemist or DJ Cashmoney? Er... so did Sain. Do you like Farmers and male voice choirs? FK neither. But Sain did.