Our guide to some of the best acts you might be overlooking ahead of the Cardiff festival this month.

We’ve made no secret of the fact that we’re big fans of Sŵn. Last year, we called the Cardiff multivenue festival “one of the most comprehensive celebrations of new music in the world.” Needless to say that we’re jumping back on a Transport for Wales train and heading over once again this year. 2026’s bill brings the likes of Westside Cowboy, Dove Ellis and Working Men’s Club to the Welsh capital alongside a whole host of exciting new names. There are some bands, such as those above, that will be marked down on virtually every attendee’s clashfinder. You don’t need us to tell you to make some time for the buzziest new bands in the country. But with so many fresh faces on the bill, you might need a helping hand in choosing which of the lesser known names you should prioritise. In truth, you can’t really go wrong at a festival as well-curated as this one, but here are our picks:

Dermot Henry

It feels like some really interesting things are happening in the singer-songwriter world of late. We’ve covered Tesni and Dove Ellis, who are very much a part of this renaissance, extensively before. Another name who fits the bill is Dermot Henry. The Wiltshire-born artist writes gorgeously barebones songs that seem to spill out of him. Debut single ‘My Favourite Book is One I’ve Read A Bunch’ sounds like a long lost Randy Newman classic and has racked up the kind of streaming numbers that industry bigwigs simply won’t ignore. One of your safest bets if you want to secure an “I saw them before they were massive” brag.

Spike

Retrofuturistic synth pop from the ever-reliable Gob Nation universe. Spike is the moniker under which Hannah McLoughlin puts her fascination with leftfield electronic music to good use. Her self-titled debut LP is perfect pop music made from a scrapbook of oddball parts: church bells, gothy drum samples, tape-loops of flute and more. I’m a firm believer that the most compelling artists start with something weird and make it easy to listen to, or start with something that is easy to listen to and make it weird: McLoughlin’s ability to do that on her record is spellbinding. It’ll be fascinating to witness in a live environment.

Tai Haf Heb Drigolyn

Tascam meddlers Tai Haf Heb Drigolyn were one of the best bands we saw at Green Man this year, and a second opportunity to see them on their turf shouldn’t be missed. They make surreal lo-fi garage rock and have the absolute time of their lives when it comes to playing it live. A deliberate effort to watch as many Wales-based acts as possible last year was directly responsible for that edition’s highlight — casual smart in the basement of an antique’s shop. We are planning the same approach this time around. See also: Pys Melyn and Pypi Slysh. 

Wyatt

Alt-country group Wyatt are long-term favourites of ours and have gone from strength to strength in their relatively short time on the Manchester scene. With a very impressive debut single now finally in the world and a sold-out UK tour with Westside Cowboy on the horizon, it feels as though they’re about to go from “steadily gathering momentum” to “absolutely flying” around the time of the festival. Sŵn may well be your last opportunity to get in on the Wyatt stocks.

foot foot

Memorials of Distinction have had a big year with releases from Truthpaste, wing! and Glasshouse Red Spider Mite counted amongst their recent highlights. There’s every chance that foot foot’s ‘PREY TIME’ EP will top the lot for many when it comes out in October. The Bristol-based post-Windmill collective write sweeping post-rock tunes that fizz with elements of folk, noise rock and post-punk. Their self-released record ‘still waters, empty house’ was an impressive debut offering but, if recent single ‘the garden’ is anything to go by, they’ve taken a leap forward since then. We can’t wait to get an early look at some new songs alongside some familiar favourites at Sŵn.