Last month Gwenno announced that she would return in 2018 with a new record titled ‘Le Kov.’ The record will be released on 2nd March and follows 2014’s critically acclaimed ‘Y Dydd Olaf.’
Written entirely in Cornish, ‘Le Kov’ is exploration of the individual and collective subconscious, the myths and drolls of Cornwall, and the survival of Britain’s lesser known Brythonic language. As one of the language’s few fluent speakers, Gwenno felt a duty to make her second album entirely in Cornish: to create a document of a living language, explore her identity and the endless creative possibilities of a tongue that has a very small surviving artistic output, despite having been around for at least 15 centuries.
She dove deep into research, learning about attempts to protect and progress the language and the role of women throughout Cornish history. When Gwenno considered the legends of sunken Brythonic cities Cantre’r Gwaelod, Kêr-Is, Langarrow and Lyonesse, she knew she had her starting point. These cities evoked her idea of language as its own form of psychological territory, a concept perfectly distilled by the Cornish title for the album, ‘Le Kov’ – the place of memory.
Gwenno has also announced a series of dates for 2018, following the previously announced 2017 shows in towns with a rich Brythonic heritage, Merthyr Tydfil & Falmouth, in keeping with ‘Le Kov’s theme.
WATCH THE ‘LE KOV’ TRAILER HERE:
‘Le Kov’ isn’t really a concept album—the city doesn’t loom that large through these 10 songs, and you don’t need the translation sheet to appreciate the gorgeous, sea-warped psychedelia that Gwenno has created alongside long-term collaborator and producer Rhys Edwards.
READ ALL ABOUT THE RECORD IN DETAIL HERE
Check out the new live dates, tickets and all the latest news on Gwenno’s Artist page ↓