MWSOG Unveil Second Single Llef Hir On Welsh Language Music Day
Friday, 13 February 2026
Written by Laura Johnson
MWSOG have shared their second single.
Arriving on Dydd Miwsig Cymru/Welsh Language Music Day, Llef Hir (The Long Cry) finds the nine-piece Welsh collective delving into the cultural loss suffered by the Welsh throughout history, such as being discouraged from speaking their own language.
The release also coincides with the anniversary of Tynged yr Iaith (The Fate of the Language), a speech given by playwright, poet and activist Saunders Lewis that was broadcast in 1962. Drummer Luke Huw Llewellyn said:
"'Llef Hir' is a fiery ballad of rage and mourning. It ruminates on the deep wound carried by the Welsh nation. It is why Welsh entered a prolonged decline - and why the artwork for Llef Hir is bathed in blue. The colour serves both as an act of remembrance and an emblem of defiance: a tribute to our ancient Celtic ancestors, who once painted themselves in woad blue before battle.”
The powerful psych-folk, rock-tinged track, which deals in much darker tones than its predecessor Chwyldro, was recorded at Mwnci Studios in Camarthenshire with producer Steffan Pringle, and although it took an emotional toll on vocalist Mari Mathias, she was able to turn things around with the help of the Welsh land surrounding the studio. She explained:
“Recording 'Llef Hir' asked everything of me. I was utterly fatigued and felt I had nothing left to give with my voice. In that moment, Angharad and I stepped away from the studio and went to the river. We needed to tend to the water, to call upon our ancestors for guidance, to reconnect with the energy of the land.
“I fell to my knees at the riverbank and felt the spirits - the faces and voices of my ancestors - calling to me in my mother tongue. By grounding my bare feet on the earth and baring my soul to the water, the song unlocked itself. It carried the grief, the strength, and the ongoing fight to keep our language and culture alive.
“We went back with a new sense of purpose. I used the tiredness and dug even deeper to find the core meaning and soul of the performance. It changed the song completely - the melody, the lyrics, the energy of the vocals. I felt fully connected to the grief, the fight for our oppressed country, and the strength to stand for a bright future and our ancient homeland of Cymru.”
The band, completed by Grant Jones (guitarist), Angharad Iris (Flute, Vocals), Joe Tobin (Mandolin, Guitar, Effects), Katie Blackmore (Percussion, Sound Effects, Vocals), Marcell Davies (Bass, Vocals), and additional collaborators Elis Penri (Guitar, Vocals) and Korina Tsioni (Percussion, Vocals), recently recorded a Horizons session for BBC Radio Cymru with Huw Stephens. Watch a live performance video of Llef Hir from that session below.
MWSOG have a handful of summer festival appearances in the diary. Head to their Facebook page for details.
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