Here's the BBC blurb ...
"Gwenno joins us live in the studio this evening, she's just finished a tour supporting Gruff Rhys on his American Interior tour.
She's about to release her debut solo album Y DYDD OLAF and she's just announced news of a co-headline tour with her new label-mate H. Hawkline in September."
There we are then . In his column in Y Amserau Radio he writes about her previous life in The Pipettes, and he also mentions that the CD's title comes from a novel by Owain Owain.
Here's a review of the CD by an Amazon person ... I didn't know it was "out" yet ...but it's already up there on Amazon plus mp3 downloads. That's the modern way I suppose ... no more walking down to the local independent record shop to find that the new Roy Harper LP wouldn't be in for another fortnight.
Gwenno Saunders is one of the continuing range of innovative artists who come from Wales and sing in the language of heaven. Formerly of the all-girl indie pop group the Pipettes she has cut out on her own and delivered an album of electronic excellence. Contained within this record is a concept about robots taking over the world. You may wish to explore the work this is based on or alternatively determine not overly worry about its underpinning or a lack of understanding of Welsh to thoroughly enjoy this album. Some reviews have taken the lazy route and compared "Y Dydd Olaf" to Super Furry Animals "Mwng". Inevitably, with the sheer eclecticism of the works of Gruff Rhys and Co there are some crossovers, Yet Gwenno Saunders is very much her own woman and takes this debut based on the work of the Welsh writer Owain Owain, turning it into pop Welsh gold.
Opener "Chwyldro" (Revolution) would in the world infused with taste and justice effectively colonise the pop charts. It is a wonderfully commercial song with Gwenno's vocals playing out sweetly over a pulsating backdrop. "Patriarchaeth' is a darker piece of work with real echoes of the Human League which is inevitably a good thing. This reviewer's favourite thus far is the brilliant "Calon Peiriant" (Heart Machine) a much slower and considered track which shows Saunders maturity as a songwriter. Equally "Sisial Y Môr” has a beautifully light French feel to it and is beautifully economical in its construct. It lets Gwenno's voice dominate the mix and drive the song. Others such as "Stwff" are pristine in their beautiful pop melancholy which is the predominant vibe of this album. To her credit Saunders also takes another marvellous language within these Isles and produces an album highlight in "Amser" which is sung in Cornish. It reminds the listener of the glory days of the Young Marble Giants which is appropriate bearing in mind Gwenno's association with the brights lights of Cardiff/Caerdydd.
"Y Dydd Olaf" should, therefore, be immediately downloaded and bring some sunshine to a miserable British Summer (although it was glorious in Aberaeron yesterday and the cider later flowed in the Dolau over in New Quay). It would be great if "Y Dydd Olaf" can get a fair hearing from all who recognise the shimmering wonder of great pop music. It has also been a very long time since a Welsh Language album has risen to the upper reaches of the charts. This is grossly unfair. The late great John Peel recognised the brilliance of music West of Offa's Dyke and would have loved this album.