Hailing from the Tawe, Afan and Ogwen valleys, Jordan Price Williams (cello, voice), Aneurin Jones (violin, voice) and Patrick Rimes (viola, violin, voice) are three young men from deepest, darkest chapel-going Wales, who have mined the cultural upheaval of past centuries and drawn inspiration from the incredible story of a time when Wales’ traditional music and dance was suppressed by Methodist chapels, and, earlier, its language by the Act of Union.
VRï’s music takes hold of the remaining strands of tradition and the music subsumed by the chapels, and blends them into a joyous celebration of Welsh identity, sung in the Welsh language.
As audio archaeologists, VRï have unearthed long-lost nuggets that shed a new light on a vibrant folk tradition that harnesses the raw energy of the fiddle with the finesse of the violin, the beauty of chamber music with the joy and hedonism of a pub session. Their songs, sung with powerful vocal harmonies, tell stories of the people who struggled 200 years ago, just as many struggle today. It’s a wonderful and unique soundscape that connects across the centuries to give us a sense of belonging, of community, and a magical feeling of weightlessness and uplifting freedom.
Since forming in the summer of 2016, the trio have been in search of the elusive 'chamber-folk' aesthetic – pumping out their native foot-stomping dance tunes whilst maintaining the poise and finesse of a string quartet. It's a cross-genre idea that's very familiar to Scandinavian and North American audiences, but hitherto unheard of in Wales.
VRï’s 2019 debut album, Ty Ein Tadau (House Of Our Fathers), received a 5* review in Songlines magazine and numerous awards nominations and wins. Their new album islais a genir (a sung whisper) was released on the bendigedig label in October 2022 to equally wide acclaim.