North Welsh duo Alffa release hotly anticipated second album, O’r Lludw / From Ashes. A rich an dynamic genre-defying sound, the duo of Dion Wyn Jones and Sion Eifion Land create punching post-punk.
Following their groundbreaking debut, Rhyddid o’r Cysgodion Gwenwynig (Freedom from the Poisonous Shadows) in 2019, Alffa faced a perfect storm of personal and global challenges. The pandemic threatened to silence their voice, but instead, it forged their resolve. Emerging from the shadows like a phoenix, the band funneled their hardships into O’r Lludw, a defiant testament to their survival and evolution. Produced by Gethin Pearson, the album delivers an incendiary mix of punk and hard rock that channels the raw power of bands like Queens of the Stone Age, Shame, and SOFT PLAY whilst also bringing moments of gentle reflection sound on the opening track ‘Darnau Mân’ and the interlude title track.
For the most part, the album journeys through fuzzy, dark yet strikingly inward and reflective tracks which balance their anger and angst with a true sense of intimate intensity as the band switch between singing in Welsh and English. The album unfolds as an emotional odyssey, starting in shadowy turmoil and gradually ascending to an uplifting crescendo. “We really wanted the audience to know that there’s hope,” the band explains. “The album begins in the dark days and moves into the hope we feel today. If the listener can take anything positive away, that’s the goal.”
This arc is embodied in the haunting focus track, ‘Doomsday’, a standout anthem of struggle and defiance. With visceral lyrics and a dynamic structure, the song plunges into the depths of human vulnerability before erupting into a cathartic storm of drums and guitar. “‘Doomsday’ conveys a desperate plea for time, breath, and a hand to make a stand,” the duo says. “It’s about refusing to be defeated, no matter the odds.”
Hailing from the rural village of Llanrug, Alffa’s breakout moment came in 2018 when their single ‘Gwenwyn’ became the first Welsh-language song to surpass a million Spotify streams. Their debut album followed in 2019, cementing their place in the Welsh music scene. Now, Alffa are setting their sights on a global stage, expanding their reach with O’r Lludw / From Ashes.
Listen below:
