Get To Know... Melin Melyn • Neu • DIY Magazine

Hello and welcome to DIY’s introducing feature, Get To Know… getting you a little bit closer to the buzziest new acts that have been catching our eye as of late, and working out what makes them tick.

Recently we’ve met South London-based multi-instrumentalist Hussy, Wunderhorse, Isle of Wight’s finest new indie export Lauran Hibberd, LA-based pop hit maker SEB, and now we’re introducing you to Welsh oddballs Melin Melyn.

Hailing from Cardiff and crafting charming shapeshifting indie gems, the six-piece group recently released their debut EP ‘Blomonj’, so we sent songwriter Gruff Glynn over some qs to find out more about them.

Describe your music to us in the form of a Tinder bio.
Desperate.

What’s your earliest musical memory?
The earliest musical I can remember is probably Lion King. Long live Pumba.

Who were some artists that inspired you when you were just starting out (and why)?
Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci are definitely one cassette that helped me through my GCSE studies. This helped me get a B in Maths, which was a phenomenal result. They also turned my attention to the likes of Kevin Ayers and Syd Barrett which is also a phenomenal result. Our guitarist Will, meanwhile, is heavily influenced by Dido.

You’re from Cardiff! What do you think of the music scene there at the moment?
There are amazing bands that come from Cardiff. I used to work in a call centre in town selling fork lift trucks. I would then go to one of the many music venues and immerse myself in the city’s glorious live music scene. But. That was many years ago. So many venues have since been shut down and knocked down. With that, the heart is simply being ripped out of this ‘music city’. Cardiff Council need to wake up.

Are there any other artists breaking through at the same time that you take inspiration from?
There are great bands coming out of Wales at the moment. Pys Melyn, Bug Club and Bitw come to mind as ones you should all check out.

Who would be your dream collaborator?
David Byrne.

Musically or otherwise, what are you most looking forward to this year?
We are so excited to play Green Man and End of the Road this year. They are my favourite festivals and the reason we started this band. We’ll also be supporting Liz Lawrence on the 28th of September at the Lafayette : come on down!!

If people could take away one thing from your music, what would it be?
Escapism and Merchandise.

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