Yr Hen Raff - Ymylon
Ymylon was formed to offer a platform for the songs of guitarist and singer JJ Lewis-Roberts. 'JJ' comes from Penrhyndeudraeth, but for a few years he studied 'Popular Music' at Leeds Conservatoire. He now works in digital marketing and is very proud to promote his Welsh heritage. Supporting Maddy Elliott's work as a session guitarist was a trigger to develop his own material.
The song was inspired by JJ reading the poem 'Catrin' by Gillian Clarke. "Clarke is writing about her daughter", says JJ, "but the song is ambiguous enough, in my opinion, that it could be about a romantic relationship or about family ties, with the rope being some kind of force that brings two people together despite their troubles. 'Never free but never lost, Pull me to you but let me be' covers the concept of the song. The conflicting feelings you can experience with someone you need but you don't necessarily like all the time!”
One of the main features of Ymylon is the use of two violins. Folk elements are heard in some of the songs, but also a wide range of other styles, which lead to an exciting and unexpected use of the two violins. Siwan Evans and Bettina Isaac are the fiddlers. Siwan is a former producer for Recordiau Sain, and Bettina is a peripatetic teacher. Rhys Evans is the drummer who works professionally and is also a member of 'I Fight Lions'. On bass guitar is Emyr Rhys, who runs Stiwdio Aran in Groeslon, where the Ymylon tracks were recorded.
The diverse backgrounds of the band members lead to arrangements full of unusual and eclectic combinations.
As part of the live set, the band also play some of the most iconic songs of Welsh pop music, re-imagining them and updating them by using alternative instrumentation.