Cerys Hafana

Druga Godba’s been all in with contemporary folk from every corner of the world for the last handful of years, so it was perhaps only a matter of time before one of its most original current exponents paid us a visit.

Cerys Hafana is a Welsh whose music ranges across minimalism, traditional and avant-folk, contemporary Breton folk styles, old Welsh ballads, jazz and what they themselves winningly describe as ‘sad Welsh harp pop’. Last year’s album Angel weaves vocal songs sung entirely in Welsh with highly distinctive instrumental passages of triple harp (their main instrument), often accompanied by drums, double bass and alto saxophone. The result is a record of stunning beauty, with atmosphere, texture and intimacy to burn.

  Angel by Cerys Hafana

(Glitterbeat Records, 2025)

Two years ago, Klub CD was filled to bursting by Scottish small pipes genius Brighde Chaimbeul. We mention this because we’re as sure as we can be that this performance by Cerys Hafana will have a similar resonance. If you catch one talent of the contemporary European folk renaissance this year, make it Cerys Hafana and make it here.

‘On [Angel], I wanted to try to push the musical limits more than I have previously, and to swing between the extremes of dynamics and texture as much as is possible on the instruments at my disposal. Lots of the writing also draws from contemporary Breton folk music with its driving and repetitive dance rhythms, more sparse, contemporary styles of composing and improvising, and some brief moments of very Welsh and traditional harp playing and unaccompanied singing.’

Co-produced by Druga Godba & Cankarjev Dom.