6. Malcolm NeonHeno Bydd Yr Angylion Yn Canu
Welsh language music is just a treasure trove, but so much Welsh musical history got lost along the way because we lacked the means to document it. When new artists come along and say, “nothing like this has ever happened,” there is an issue. Anything you’re looking for has probably been done in Welsh, but somehow, it hasn’t got to you. Malcolm Neon is part of this phenomenon.
The fact that he’s managed to remain an enigma is part of the genius of Malcolm Neon. This is so hard to do in Wales because everyone knows somebody’s aunty or is the brother of so and so. Therefore as a musician, finding a couple of videos of Malcolm Neon looking quite androg-ynous and glamorous and brilliant in Berlin was really exciting. There is a classic, magical glamour to this album — glamour as a way of elevating life and creating something out of nothing. Finally, it wasn’t just about jeans and a t-shirt. It was about something more… some-thing cool.
He was a huge influence on me when I came back to Wales and put that first album together. ‘Nefolaidd’ [‘Heavenly’] is a track that I covered. I once did a gig in Aberteifi and this guy came up to me and said, “do you know who I am?” Of course, it was Malcolm Neon. He’s a massive modern electronic music fan, and he’s had such an impact.
