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On Friday 17 July, 9Bach release their first-ever live album entitled ‘Ar y 9’.

9Bach – Ar y 9

Digital-only live album.

Released 17 July 2020

The 8-track live album was recorded during the band’s celebratory UK tour of 2019, in support of the 10th anniversary re-release of their debut album. The recording features songs from each of their studio albums, 2010s ‘9Bach’, 2014s ‘Tincian’ and 2016s ‘Anian’, all available on Real World Records.

GigsBach9Bach

With live concerts on hold Lisa and Martin from the band will performing a short, 3 song, live multi camera stream, on 9Bach’s facebook page at 7p.m. on Thursday July 16th, as part of their #GigsBach9Bach series.

The performance is free, but the band are asking if people can, to donate to Refuge,

the 24 National Domestic Abuse Helpline, here

You can view the live stream on Thursday 16th here

‘Ar y 9’ is the equivalent Welsh expression to the English ‘dressed up to the nines’ and reflects the band’s feeling after the addition of Andy Gangadeen to the line-up, whose more electronic sensibility and unique drumming style are evident in the recording. It also acts as a nice counter-point to the previously released acoustic Noeth EP (Naked EP, in English).

Though subtle, Gangadeen’s presence is an important new dimension to the 9Bach sound, and at the very least reflects the band’s continued, perhaps renewed, desire to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the intersecting world of Lisa Jên’s song-writing and traditional Welsh folk music

“It’s always special to play live with 9Bach, and to record these live shows for an album was an added bonus. We didn’t really tour the first album properly, when it came out, so it was the first time we’d really played a lot of those early songs live, so it fun to revisit them. It was also great to have started working with Andy Gangadeen, and his unique drumming style, which has added something different to our sound. We started to see all the songs in a different light, as a result, and we think you can hear that on this live album. We’ve now started writing new songs with Andy too, looking to develop his input even further, which is very exciting! “ - Lisa Jên and Martin Hoyland.

“From first seeing 9Bach, I was bowled over by their unique sound,” says Gangadeen, “so when I was asked if I’d be up for doing a collaboration with them – and then playing live - I jumped at the chance. On this tour I tour started introducing more textures to the set, but it’s the space in their music which allows the beauty of 9Bach’s frontline to stand out so I was very mindful of not ‘filling the space’ with electronics and beats as this would actually take away from 9Bach’s key elements…”

Another preview track from the album ‘Pontypridd’ is available to stream and download now and anyone pre-ordering the album on iTunes will receive the track immediately.

Arts Council of Wales Stabilisation Fund for Organisations

9Bach have also just been awarded funding from the Arts Council of Wales National Lottery Fund, for the band to focus on song writing, and developing a new sound, more to follow on this exciting project