New York, NY (Top40 Charts) In 2020, Ani Glass's debut album MIRORES finally sees the light of day. The follow up to her debut EP FFRWYDRAD TAWEL (2017, Recordiau Neb) is the culmination of over four years developing her own sound and visionary artistry. With its tapestry of electronic sounds, elliptical melodies and samples threaded into a song cycle, MIRORES is based around the idea of movement and progress - one which takes us on a journey around her hometown of Cardiff. You can hear Ani's recorded sounds of the urban landscape throughout; the movement of traffic and people and the magical yet infrequent sounds of nature coming together to create the score of a city's symphony.
The title is taken from Ani's bardic name - created when she joined the Cornish Gorsedh in 2013. The Gorsedh itself is a celebration of the Celtic spirit of Cornwall and Bardship is awarded to people who contribute to its cultural and linguistic heritage. MIRORES delves into the wider impacts of urbanisation and development and touches on ideas around culture and identity - themes that came to the fore whilst she studied for a Masters in Urban and Regional Development at Cardiff University in 2018 and continues to explore through her Doctorate. The songs are a reflection of the language and landscape of Cardiff but also represent a reaction to the values of capitalism and development which often prioritise the wants and needs of society's most fortunate.
MIRORES also represents Ani's first foray into production. Having been inspired by her experience of working with
Martin Rushent during her time as member of indie pop group The Pipettes, Glass has spent the past few years teaching herself the art of recording and production.
'Before starting this project, I had little to no experience of making or producing electronic music - even the simple task of connecting the machines seemed pretty arduous at first' remembers Glass, who has struck a singular and independent path as an artist. 'From the offset I felt empowered by the freedom and democracy of producing and performing electronic music - it opened doors to a world of possibilities and allowed me to develop my own soundscape as a solo artist.'
Glass' sound is inspired by many leading electronic and avant-garde artists and producers of the 1980s including
Martin Rushent, Giorgio Moroder, Vangelis, Jean-Michel Jarre and Arthur Russell whilst the album's wider themes are inspired in part by the works of abstract painter
Agnes Martin and the author and activist Jane Jacobs. Despite some of the album's heavier themes, Ani maintains a strong pop sensibility throughout, most certainly cemented during her time as member of R&B pop group Genie
Queen - managed by OMD's Andy McCluskey. As well as the album's title track, the album contains ten peerless tracks including the haunting and atmospheric 'Cariad' (Love) featuring renowned Welsh artist Ivor Davies and 2018 single 'Peirianwaith Perffaith' (Perfect Machinery) that possesses a knowing pop universality - the soundtrack to life in the city's engine room.
Following a year of touring and playing at festivals across the UK and beyond including Sound City,
Future Yard, Greenman, Sŵn, Focus Wales and POP Montreal (as part of the FOCUS Wales delegation with the support of PRSF and WAI) as well as supporting acts such as Audiobooks and Stealing Sheep, Ani will be returning to her hometown of Cardiff and to towns across Wales for a series of very special performances.
Ani Glass MIRORES 2020 tour dates:
6th March - Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
7th March - Pontio, Bangor
13th March - In-store at Spillers, Cardiff
14th March - Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham
21st March - In-store at Tangled Parrot, Carmarthen
