The Sound of Cardiff Indie

“The Sound of Cardiff Indie” pulls together a broad sweep of the city’s underground and emerging indie talent, where psych-pop, art rock, garage fuzz, and off-kilter songwriting all share the same stage. You’ll find tracks like Boy Azooga’s swaggering “Loner Boogie” rubbing up against the surreal pop of HMS Morris’s “Balls” and the glam-rock punch of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard’s provocatively titled “John Lennon Is My Jesus Christ.” There’s also a strong Welsh-language showing—from Gwenno’s dreamy “Tir Ha Mor” to SYBS’ raw-edged “Bad Old Days”—that reflects the diversity of voices in the scene.

This playlist doesn’t stick to one vibe, shifting from the lo-fi synthwork of Plastic Estate to the energetic indie rock of The Rotanas and Red Telephone. Bands like Clwb Fuzz and SHLUG bring the noise, while artists like The Gentle Good, Eve Goodman, and Abbie Hunt soften things with more delicate textures. It’s a wide-angle look at Cardiff’s indie world—new names, side projects, experimental turns, and plenty of rough-edged pop slipping through in between.