Le Kov



Release Date: 02 March 2018
Label: Heavenly Recordings
CAT: HVNLP145

Charts Position: #13 - Official Independent Albums Chart (UK)
Nominated for 'Best Sophomore Release' at the 2018 AIM Independent Music Awards
Shortlisted for the 2018 Welsh Music Prize


LE_KOV_Cover7.jpg


“Yntra Syllan ha Penn an Wlas
Goen las yn-hons dhe wel ha pras
Mammdra genwerth yn kolonn an mor
Pennsita an Vro -
Hy Hanow Le Kov.”

“Between Land’s End and Scilly rocks
Sunk lies a city that the ocean mocks
A bustling metropolis, links reaching the furthest seas
A Cornish Capital -
The Place of Memory.”

LINK TO BUY

 

Singles

Tir Ha Mor

Tir Ha Mor

 
Eus Keus?

Eus Keus?

 
Hi a Skoeyllyas Liv a Dhagrow

Hi a Skoeyllyas Liv a Dhagrow

 

Production

Songs 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10 written by Gwenno Saunders & Rhys Edwards. Songs 3, 7, 8, 9 written by Gwenno Saunders.

All instruments played by Gwenno Saunders & Rhys Edwards except for songs 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10. Drums played by Peter Richardson and drum engineering by Gorwel Owen. Additional vocals on song 7 performed by Gruff Rhys.

Produced by Rhys Edwards.

Mixed and additional programming by David Wrench for Solar Management Ltd. Mixing engineered by Sam Petts Davies, Jack Sugden & Tuck Nelson. Assisted by Marta Salogni.

Mastered by Mandy Parnell at Black Saloon Studios.

Photography: Michal Iwanowski
Artwork Design: Louise Mason


Long Reads

LE KOV Helia Phoenix delves into the imagined land of Gwenno’s Cornish language record Le Kov, released on Heavenly Recordings earlier this month.

LE KOV
Helia Phoenix delves into the imagined land of Gwenno’s Cornish language record Le Kov, released on Heavenly Recordings earlier this month.

ARC OF LE KOVENANT: GWENNO ON HER CORNISH LANGUAGE ALBUM Gwenno Saunders, Celtic pop singer and Brittonic language activist, might have been regarded as an emmet when I was growing up in Cornwall.

ARC OF LE KOVENANT: GWENNO ON HER CORNISH LANGUAGE ALBUM
Gwenno Saunders, Celtic pop singer and Brittonic language activist, might have been regarded as an emmet when I was growing up in Cornwall.

GO CORNISH INTERVIEW: “THIS IS LE KOV – AN IMAGINED PLACE” Gwenno Saunders yw artydh solo pewas-waynya, aswonys rag hwithra hy ertach Kembrek-Kernewek dre ganow, hwedhlow ha sonyow elektro-bopp.

GO CORNISH INTERVIEW: “THIS IS LE KOV – AN IMAGINED PLACE”
Gwenno Saunders yw artydh solo pewas-waynya, aswonys rag hwithra hy ertach Kembrek-Kernewek dre ganow, hwedhlow ha sonyow elektro-bopp.

HOW AN EX-VEGAS DANCER MADE THE FIRST CORNISH-LANGUAGE PSYCH-POP ALBUM She left school at 16 and took Lord of the Dance to Las Vegas. Now Gwenno Saunders has made a concept album about Cornwall, full of sunken cities, crashed gliders and cheese.

HOW AN EX-VEGAS DANCER MADE THE FIRST CORNISH-LANGUAGE PSYCH-POP ALBUM
She left school at 16 and took Lord of the Dance to Las Vegas. Now Gwenno Saunders has made a concept album about Cornwall, full of sunken cities, crashed gliders and cheese.

ON “LE KOV”, POP MUSIC MEETS THE CORNISH REVIVAL Gwenno’s new album both borrows from and reinvents Cornwall's history for the modern age.

ON “LE KOV”, POP MUSIC MEETS THE CORNISH REVIVAL
Gwenno’s new album both borrows from and reinvents Cornwall's history for the modern age.

GWENNO IN CORNWALL | A CONVERSATION Gwenno Saunders is a sound artist, DJ, radio presenter and singer from Cardiff. Her most recent album, the beautiful and haunting Le Kov, is a bold artistic statement performed entirely in Cornish, the language ha…

GWENNO IN CORNWALL | A CONVERSATION
Gwenno Saunders is a sound artist, DJ, radio presenter and singer from Cardiff. Her most recent album, the beautiful and haunting Le Kov, is a bold artistic statement performed entirely in Cornish, the language handed down to her by her parents.


Year End Lists 2018

Drift

Drift

Under the Radar

Under the Radar

Loud and Quiet

Loud and Quiet

The Guardian

The Guardian

No Ripcord

No Ripcord

God Is In The TV

God Is In The TV

MOJO

MOJO

FOPP

FOPP

Uncut

Uncut

PopMatters

PopMatters

Rough Trade

Rough Trade

The Quietus

The Quietus



Live (2017-2019)

Vocals / Lyre harp / Synths: Gwenno Saunders
Electric Guitar: Rhys Edwards
Bass: Tad Davies
Drums: Gruff Ifan, Dafydd Hughes, Alex Morrison
Additional Synths / Backing Vocals: Naomi Saunders
Strings: Angharad Davies, Glesni Roberts
Cello: Rhian Porter

Sound Engineering: Kit Mellis, Nick Jennings, Tom Rogers
Tour Management: Gwenno Saunders & Rhys Edwards

 

Le Kov Live Shows : #83

1 December, 2017 – MERTHYR TYDFIL, WALES: Redhouse
2 December, 2017 – FALMOUTH, CORNWALL: The Poly
20 January, 2018 – HOLYHEAD, WALES: Ucheldre Centre (w/ Gorwel & Fiona Owen)
22 February, 2018 – HEBDEN BRIDGE, ENGLAND: The Heavenly Weekend Presents
8 March, 2018 – BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND: Hare & Hounds (w/ Blancmange, Neil Arthur)
9 March, 2018 – MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: Gullivers (w/ Gecko)
10 March, 2018 – LEEDS, ENGLAND: Brudenell Social Club (w/ The Swindells, Geoffrey OilCott, Omaloma, The Exploited)
16 March, 2018 – BRIGHTON, ENGLAND: Rialto Theatre
17 March, 2018 – RAMSGATE, ENGLAND: Music Hall
22 March, 2018 – BRISTOL, ENGLAND: Louisiana
23 March, 2018 – OXFORD, ENGLAND: Bullingdon Arms
25 March, 2018 – ABERYSTWYTH, WALES: Amgueddfa Ceredigion
4 April, 2018 – WREXHAM, WALES: Tŷ Pawb
12 April, 2018 – LONDON, ENGLAND: Hoxton Hall
4 May, 2018 – TRURO, CORNWALL: The Old Bakery
15 May, 2019 – MAIDSTONE, ENGLAND: Jools Holland Show
25 May, 2018 – EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND: Hidden Door Festival
15 June, 2018 – CARDIFF, WALES: Wales Millennium Centre (Edrica)
22 June, 2018 – BANGOR, WALES: Pontio
30 June, 2018 – CORNWALL: Eden Project (s/ Ben Howard)
21 July, 2018 – ABERTEIFI, WALES: Castell Aberteifi
26 July, 2018 – SAINT GERMANS, CORNWALL: Port Eliot Festival
29 July, 2018 – DERBY, ENGLAND: Indietracks Festival
10 August, 2018 – CARDIFF, WALES: Clwb Ifor Bach
12 August, 2018 – NEWQUAY, CORNWALL: Boardmasters
17 August, 2018 – LONDON, ENGLAND:  Tate Modern (Gwenno DJ Set)
25 August, 2018 – TOTNES, ENGLAND: Sea Change Festival
31 August, 2018 – KÖLN, GERMANY: Pop Festival,
1 September, 2018 – SALISBURY, ENGLAND: End of the Road Festival
2 September, 2018 – DUBLIN, IRELAND: Other Voices @ Electric Picnic
7 September, 2018 – PENRHYNDEUDRAETH, WALES: Festival No. 6 Portmeirion
13 September, 2018 – ST IVES, CORNWALL: Tate Saint Ives (solo set)
14 September, 2018 – HOWARDEN, WALES: The Good Life Festival
29 September, 2018 – BERLIN, GERMANY: Columbiahalle (s/ Suede)
30 September, 2018 – BRUSSELS, BELGIUM: Ancienne Belgique (s/ Suede)
1 October, 2018 – AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS: Paradiso (s/ Suede)
3 October, 2018 – PARIS, FRANCE: La Cigale (s/ Suede)
4 October, 2018 – MILAN, ITALY: Fabrique (s/ Suede)
7 October, 2018 – STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN: Royal Dramatic Theatre (s/ Suede)
9 October, 2018 – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: DR Koncerthuset (s/ Suede)
10 October, 2018 – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: DR Koncerthuset (s/ Suede)
12 October, 2018 – BRISTOL, ENGLAND: Thekla
13 October, 2018 – MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: YES
17 October, 2018 – CARDIFF, WALES: Tramshed
18 October, 2018 – LONDON, ENGLAND: Islington Assembly Hall
19 October, 2018 – SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND: The Loft
20 October, 2018 – PENRYN, CORNWALL: Academy of Music & Theatre Arts Penryn
27 October, 2018 – DUBLIN, IRELAND: Royal Dublin Society (w/ Róisín Murphy, Villagers)
27 November, 2018 – LONDON, ENGLAND: Shepherd’s Bush Empire (s/ Everything Everything, Audiobooks)
7 December, 2018 – GLASGOW, SCOTLAND: Hydro Arena (s/ Ben Howard)
8 December, 2018 – CARDIFF, WALES: Motorpoint Arena Cardiff (s/ Ben Howard)
10 December, 2018 – MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: O2 Apollo Manchester (s/ Ben Howard)
11 December, 2018 – MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: O2 Apollo Manchester (s/ Ben Howard)
24 January, 2019 – CARDIFF, WALES: Artes Mundi (solo set)
15 February, 2019 – CARDIFF, WALES: Tramshed (Yes is More, DJ Set w/ Gruff Rhys)
28 February, 2019 – LONDON, ENGLAND: Roundhouse (s/ Villagers)
6 March, 2019 – MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: Melbourne Recital Centre
8 March, 2019 – ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA: Womadelaide
9 March, 2019 – ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA: Womadelaide
11 May, 2019 – DUBLIN, IRELAND: Sound House (w/ Eastbound)
12 May, 2019 - DUBLIN, IRELAND: Olympia Theatre (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
14 May, 2019 – CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND: Cambridge Corn Exchange (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
15 May, 2019 – BATH, ENGLAND: The Forum (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
17 May, 2019 – LONDON, ENGLAND: O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
18 May, 2019 - LONDON, ENGLAND: O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
20 May, 2019 - MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: O2 Ritz Manchester (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
21 May, 2019 – MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: O2 Ritz Manchester (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
23 May, 2019 – BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND: O2 Academy Birmingham (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
24 May, 2019 – SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND: O2 Guildhall Southampton (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
26 May, 2019 – EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND: O2 Usher Hall (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
27 May, 2019 – YORK, ENGLAND: York Barbican Centre (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
29 May, 2019 – GLASGOW, SCOTLAND: Mono (w/ Artmagic)
30 May, 2019 – LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND: Olympia (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
31 May, 2019 – LEICESTER, ENGLAND: De Montfort Hall (s/ Manic Street Preachers)
2 June, 2019 – LONDON, ENGLAND: All Points East Festival
15 June, 2019 – LEEDS, ENGLAND: Brudenell Social Club
21 June, 2019 – CARDIFF, WALES: Tafwyl, Cardiff Castle
07 July, 2019 – BURTON UPON TRENT, ENGLAND: Timber Festival
19 July, 2019 – HEBDEN BRIDGE, ENGLAND: Trades Club
20 July, 2019 – STIRLING, SCOTLAND: Doune The Rabbit Hole Festival
28 July, 2019 – WILTSHIRE, ENGLAND: WOMAD Festival
29 July, 2019 – CARDIFF, WALES: Homeless World Cup, Cardiff Castle
16 August, 2019 – CRICKHOWELL, WALES: Greenman Festival
1 November, 2019 – ABERTEIFI, WALES: Other Voices