Y Niwl

given its abundance of beaches, it's something of a surprise to note that the brilliant debut album from y niwl - pronounced 'uh nule' and translated as 'the fog' - is the first welsh surf pop album ever made (as far as we know). y niwl's sound is something special; surf pop with a bit of garage punk edge; classic instrumental melodies that sound familiar but new. inspired by the likes of dick dale, the surfaris, the champs, joe meek, the shadows - rather than their environ-ment.