Ankst was a
Welsh independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...
formed in
1988 at the
University of Wales, Aberystwyth by Alun Llwyd, Gruffudd Jones and Emyr Glyn Williams.
After a handful of low key cassette releases, the label relocated to
Cardiff
Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...
and became a more serious concern, providing a launch-pad for several popular Welsh artists, including
Llwybr Llaethog,
Super Furry Animals and
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. The ''Rough Guide to Wales'' described Ankst as "one of the most prolific, eclectic and innovative" of the 1990s Welsh music labels.
Between 1988 and 1997, the label put out some 80 releases before splitting in
1997 into two separate companies. Ankst Management (run by Llwyd and Jones and responsible for
Melys,
Super Furry Animals,
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci,
Los Campesinos!,
The Longcut, and, for a time,
Cerys Matthews) and Ankstmusik, the label, that Williams ran from his house in
Pentraeth on
Anglesey
Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...
, converting the garage into an office and store-room. Ankst remained true to its low-budget not for profit ideals at a time when the ‘Arts’ in Wales fell to corporate control and public funding. In all, the label released over 170 records by a huge assortment of bands and performers, such as
Tystion,
Ectogram,
Zabrinski, Rheinallt H Rowlands,
MC Mabon and
Wendykurk.
Ankst moved into film making in the 2000s, releasing the Bafta-winning ''Y Lleill'' in 2005.
Alun Llwyd also co-managed, with Kevin Tame, the Cardiff-based indie label Turnstile, home of
Perfume Genius,
Christopher Owens,
Gruff Rhys,
Cate Le Bon and others. He is now chief executive at PR/distribution labe
Pyst
Emyr 'Ankst' Williams died at his home in Pentraeth on 17 January 2023, whilst receiving treatment for cancer. He was 57.
See also
*
Lists of record labels
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File:AmMusicBunk78.jpg
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Lists of record labels cover record labels, brands or trademarks associated with marketing of music recordings and music videos. The lists are organized alphabetically, ...
* Full list of Ankst releases/artists - https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankstmusik
References
External links
*
British independent record labels
Record labels established in 1988
Welsh record producers
Welsh-language music
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