Cerys Hafana - Difrisg - CD

The University of South Wales has described Cerys Hafana as "one of the most original voices in contemporary Welsh folk music." Jude Rogers of The Guardian has described Cerys as "a master of the Welsh triple harp" who "explores resonances from the past that connect with the modern day." Their sophomore album Edyf , released in 2022 is based on songs found in the National Library of Wales. The album was shortlisted for the 2022‍–‍2023 Welsh Music Prize and the Welsh-language album of the year. The Guardian named it one of the top ten folk albums of 2022. The follow-up EP The Bitter in 2024 only reinforced Cerys’ growing presence in the UK folk community and beyond, and inspired Tradfolk to comment thus: “Eerie folk fusion and creative use of harp and found sounds. Innovation abounds. …likely to take a song that we all know so well and tilt it to one side”. With continued and regular support from BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 3, BBC Wales and many more, Cerys is also winning fans and support from Europe and across the pond in the US. The word is spreading. The majestic and magical live performances around the UK and Europe have only served to build and increase their following. And while Cerys is perhaps best known as a master of the Welsh harp, they are also extremely comfortable on piano, guitar and of course voice. Which leads us to this wonderful new record, where Cerys applies herself to piano and explores classical, folk and even the avant garde in the most remarkable fashion. Cerys: “I've been playing the piano most of my life, and it's probably the instrument I've spent the most time playing (in the privacy of my own home). I had a very inspirational piano teacher as a teenager, and studied it at university for two years (where I was also part of a 6 keyboard ensemble which focussed on performing minimalist and post-minimalist music). This album is a collection of compositions that had been following me around in various states of incompleteness for years. I booked a few days at a local studio with a nice piano in spring 2023, with the intention if finally getting them finished, and then went to record them at StudiOwz in 2024. The triple harp and piano are very similar instruments in my head, and I enjoy bouncing ideas back and forth between the two. But I also enjoy exploring and embracing the things that make them different - I like how relaxed I feel performing on the triple harp (probably because of my folk background), and the possibilities of the three rows of strings, but also enjoy getting to wallow in the dynamic and tonal range of the piano”. Enough said.