Introducing… Celyn of Gwent

Queer songs for dark times is the slogan behind Celyn of Gwent. Actively describing himself as a “gay bard for the anthropocene”, Celyn of Gwent channels folksy, dark bard musing into new wave, avant-pop, and electronic clothes. It sounds quite unique because there are moments of dark folk drones and monk-like bellows, and then we’ll have something more synth-driven with alternative pop sensibilities. It’s a real melting pot, which makes highlighting a single track as a starting point quite difficult to do. I first stumbled across Celyn’s work on Instagram, and the live performance was quite folksy and haunting. Infact, the lyrics were a brooding “whose haunting who”. Then I found his singles, and they both carry very different moods.

The single I’ve chosen to highlight is the closing track from Celyn of Gwent’s debut album ‘Dying and Rising’. It’s titled ‘Agony and Rapture ‘, and it showcases Celyn’s voice and range. I’m reminded of ANONHI (Anthony and the Johnsons) in tone and range. There’s plenty of emotion, as the track’s rhythmic, machine-like march rigidly pulls humanity towards an uncertain future. The lyrics close with:

We’re stuck in a sticky trap:
no new path or action,
Bit parts of a bigger bang,
a foregone chain reaction.

But nothing is set in stone,
no fixed and final chapter.
This all can be swept away
in agony and rapture.

Celyn describes the song as “a personal appeal for consciousness and recognition”. It seems the balance between victory and defeat, living and dying, oppression and freedom, and other counterbalances lie at the heart of the music. I’ll be picking up the album this month, so expect a review in November. Although it’s his debut album, Celyn has been part of the London gay performance art scene for over a decade, and you’ll see how that impacts his visuals in his excellent music videos and Instagram reels.

For more information about the album, tour dates, and future artworks, visit Celyn of Gwent’s website.

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