Hen Ogledd - Mogic
Ah man, this is a difficult review to do
Ah man, this is a difficult review to do. I have had this album for months and have sat down to write this umpteen times but have been defeated every time. I want to love this and there is so much to admire about what Richard Dawson, Rhodri Davies, Dawn Bothwell and Sally Pilkington do as Hen Ogledd but somehow I just can’t fully embrace it.
Hen Ogledd’s name is taken from the Welsh name for the Old North, an area of northern England and southern Scotland between 500 and 800AD. The music takes in folktronica, indie, hauntology, krautrock and rock. When the band get it right - on the likes of Sky Burial, Tiny Witch Hunter or Problem Child - it is within touching distance of true brilliance. For every moment like that, though, there is something that I just don’t enjoy, like First Date,Gwen Reged o Heddiw or Dyma Fy Robot
The PR spiel describes this as “a discombobulating pop prayer exploring artificial intelligence, witches, nanotechnology, pre-medieval history, robots, romance, computer games and waterfalls”. I can’t argue with that but I will say that the songs I like - no LOVE - on here would make a 10/10 EP or mini-LP. As for the rest, sorry, they just ain't for me.
5/10.
