Don Leisure talks diving into the Sain Records back catalogue and Dydd Miwsig Cymru • Interview • DIY Magazine

While some say that music is a universal language, here at DIY, we always believe in broadening our horizons, which is why we’re thrilled to have teamed up with Dydd Miwsig Cymru to help celebrate their annual event this month. Taking place on Friday 7th February, the day – also known as Welsh Language Music Day – focuses on celebrating and uplifting all forms of Welsh Language music, as well as highlighting the rich musical history of Wales as a nation.

To help mark this year’s edition of Dydd Miwsig Cymru, we’ve enlisted a few key players from across the Welsh music industry to help explain why the Welsh language and culture is so important to them.

Tra bod rhai yn dweud bod miwsig yn iaith fyd-eang, yma yn DIY, credwn mewn lledaenu’n gorwelion, dyna pam yr ydym wedi cael y pleser i ymuno hefo Dydd Miwsig Cymru i ddathlu’r digwyddiad blynyddol mis yma. Yn digwydd ar ddydd Gwener 7fed o Chwefror, mae’r diwrnod yn ffocysu ar ddathlu ac ymgodi pob math o gerddoriaeth Cymraeg, yn ogystal ag uwcholeuo cyfoeth hanesyddol Cymru fel cenedl.

I nodi Dydd Miwsig Cymru eleni, rydym wedi ymrwymo ambell i berson arwyddocaol o’r sîn roc Gymraeg i helpu esbonio pam y mae’r Iaith a’r diwylliant mor bwysig iddynt.

Welsh beatmaker Don Leisure has just released his latest record ‘Tyrchu Sain’, which saw him dive into the back catalogue of Sain Records, Wales’ oldest independent record label.

Can you tell us a little about how you first got into music, and began sampling and experimenting?
I got into music at quite a young age mainly due to my older cousins who were (irresponsibly) playing me amazing hip-hop records and pirate radio jungle recordings when I’d visit them in London. I remember buying Cypress Hill’s ‘Black Sunday’ album on CD when I was starting Year 6 in school (shout out Llwydcoed Primary!). The penny dropped on sampling a few years later when my mum was playing Dusty Springfield’s ‘Son of a Preacher Man’ in her car. That track was sampled on the Cypress Hill album and my mind was fully blown! I didn’t have access to any music software or anything until I was doing my A-levels. This kid in my year gave me a CD-R with loads of dodgy cracked programmes on it, so I started mucking about with them and haven’t really stopped! Although all my software is now above board and fully registered!

What were your experiences of the Welsh language growing up and making music previously?
I attended English medium schools throughout my education and in the ‘80s and ‘90s you would rarely hear anyone speaking Welsh where I grew up in Aberdare; even less so in Cardiff. Thankfully things have really changed in that regard. In terms of music and the Welsh language I suppose I didn’t have many experiences before and I honestly dismissed or never really considered the idea of ‘cool’ Welsh music from the ‘70s until I heard those Welsh Rare Beat compilations.

How were you introduced to Sain, and how did it feel to dig into the Sain archive with fresh eyes, and without knowing the back catalogue?
The Finders Keepers Records compilations were my gateway drug for sure. I wanted to go deeper into the back catalogue but it wasn’t that easy as the records can be seriously tough to find in the wild. Friends like Rhys Spikes, Dyl Mei and Gruff Rhys would occasionally tip me off to great tracks from the back catalogue. The excellent shop Cardiff Record Exchange bucked this trend and have a really extensive collection of both Sain and Welsh records in general. Ed who runs the shop is a total diamond who let me borrow every single Sain title they had in stock. That was a godsend and resulted in the bulk of the samples I used on the record. It was amazing to dig through all that stuff without much pre-existing knowledge of the artists. It’s been fun and eye-opening to learn about them as I went along.

“I think it’s important to highlight, celebrate and propel the Welsh language forward as it is integral to the very fabric of Welsh identity.”

Tell us about some of the stand out tracks you discovered…
Ahh, there was loads but I’ll shout out three tracks that I didn’t sample (the first and second due to clearance issues; the third because I found it after I’d handed everything in)!

Y Nhw – ‘Cwympo Mae Y Dail’ - An amazing cover version of Mama and Papa’s ‘California Dreaming’ in Welsh. The group broke up after one 7” release in 1970 for “political reasons”.

Heather Jones – ‘Aur Yr Heulwen’ – A really fuzzed out psychedelic rework of ‘Woodstock’ by Joni Mitchell. I believe this record was translated by Geraint Jarman (a Cardiff native like Heather) – one of my favourites on the label for sure.

Gwmni Theatr leuenctud yr Urdd – ‘Y Proffwd’ – taken from an ultra obscure Christian rock opera produced and written by the brilliant Delwyn Sion. The track is about as lush and blissful as it gets. Warm Rhodes piano intertwine with ethereal vocals which results in a surprisingly soulful outing on the label.

Gruff Rhys has sung vocals on your albums. How is it working with him?
Ah, working with Gruff is always a treat. A true visionary in music. I never really know what he’s going to do until he does his first take. He has an unbelievable knack of coming up with syrupy catchy melodies. He sang in English on my track ‘Neon Drizzle’ on [his previous] ‘Shaboo Strikes Back’ record so it was really cool to get a feature from him in Welsh. He has invited me up to play at his Ara Deg Festival a couple of times in Bethesda – a real eye opener going up there. Amazing place.

Why do you think it’s important to highlight and celebrate the Welsh language, especially through music?
I think it’s important to highlight, celebrate and propel the Welsh language forward as it is integral to the very fabric of Welsh identity. I didn’t really ‘get it’ until I started spending time in North Wales where the language is more prominent. Welsh has been historically diluted through various policies and practices that sought to marginalise it.

Promoting Welsh in whatever way you can, I feel, is vital to preserving the unique cultural identity and heritage of Wales. Music is an effective way to do this because it transcends language barriers and engages people emotionally and culturally.

‘Tyrchu Sain’ is out now.

This feature is brought to you as part of our paid partnership with Dydd Miwsig Cymru.

If you’d like to find out more, simply head to gov.wales/welsh-language-music-day. Os hoffech ddarganfod mwy, ewch i llyw.cymru/dydd-miwsig-cymru. What’s more, we’re celebrating the day with a very special show at The Old Blue Last in London tomorrow night - grab your tickets now.

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