Bitw by Bitw

“I’ve been lucky enough not to get my heart broken too badly so far, which is great, but it’s shit for writing pop songs,” says Gruff ab Arwel a.k.a Bitw.

However to suggest in anyway that a lack of heartache has led to a lack of pop songs on Bitw’s debut album would be disingenuous to say the least. Instead, the album is dripping in infectious songs, rolling rhythms and a melodic touch so graceful and seamless that if anything it feels like pop is oozing from every song on the album.

It’s not surprising given ab Arwel’s previous form. Whilst this may be his debut solo offering, he has lent his musical touch to countless other indie-rock-pop masters. A member of Snowdonia's premium surf outfit Y Niwl, he's also played with Gruff Rhys, H.Hawkline and Eleanor Friedberger.

The record itself was a DIY affair, assembled from sessions at home in Caernarfon by ab Arwel before he later brought in friends to flesh it out. "I recorded the album bit by bit in my living room,” he says. “But I’m not doing that again – it took fucking ages. It was great to be able to work on it at home but it became quite isolating in the end because there’s no one to tell you when to stop.”

However, what ab Arwel may lack in self-confidence and decision-making when it comes to making his record in a less time-consuming way, he makes up for in hooks and musical charm. The resulting music on his debut is one that sparkles with that inherently Welsh tone yet also feels much wider and all encompassing.