Jakokoyak
Encyclopedia
Jakokoyak is a Welsh
musician
who produces lo-fi experimental electronic music
, with leanings towards psychedelic
folk, sometimes classified as folktronica
.
A native of Mold
, Flintshire
, Edwards began recording in his second year of university. Working and recording alone, he began perfecting and exploring old keyboards and effects pedals. On the brink of desolation, this solitude is reflected strongly in the distinctive Jakokoyak sound. As with any complexity, the music requires active attention. It was these recordings that subsequently gave him the passport to a postgraduate music course at Bangor
. Without an academic background in music, he spent a year building on his knowledge of recording, and it was during this year that Jakokoyak started to get noticed in the Welsh media.
In 2003 he released his debut album, Am Cyfan Dy Pethau Prydferth (the title was taken from a badly translated poster on the walls of the Cardiff Union). In the same year he won a Pop Factory
award for Best New Talent, and Am Cyfan... was awarded Best Album at BBC Radio Cymru
's music awards.
Since then he has supported the Super Furry Animals
in Japan, and performed at the Maida Vale Studios
with Mogwai
. The EP Flatyre was released in 2006, and its lead track "Eira" was voted Record of the Week on London's Xfm
radio station.
An italo disco influenced single was released in 2008, titled ‘Look Away Now (If You Don't Want To Know The Score’) before Jakokoyak entered the studio to record his second album, Aerophlot, which was not formally released until August 2010. Basing the musical ideas on those technicolour childhood memories coupled with tales of break ups and downbeat days, its conception has been described by Jakokoyak as similar to “watching a fireworks display in the rain with the blind”. The result is a downtempo album full of wonderous electronic bleeps and beautifully eerie pop melodies. It contains tales about an abandoned Ukrainian city (Prypiat), the first dog in space (Laika
), Yuri Gagarin
’s very own postcode (Moscow 705) and a private seaside in Sweden (Amine).
The album received musical supervision from Cardiff legend, Sir Doufus Styles and features contributions from Super Furry Animals/The Peth’s Dafydd Ieuan
and Guto Pryce
, backing vocals from the wonderful Cate Le Bon
and Cardiff’s town crier.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
musician
Music of Wales
Wales has a strong and distinctive link with music. The country is traditionally referred to as "the land of song". This is a modern stereotype based on 19th century conceptions of Nonconformist choral music and 20th century male voice choirs, Eisteddfodau and arena singing, such as sporting...
who produces lo-fi experimental electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, with leanings towards psychedelic
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
folk, sometimes classified as folktronica
Folktronica
Folktronica or electrofolk is a genre of music comprising various elements of folk music and electronica, often featuring samplings of acoustic instruments—especially stringed instruments—and incorporating hip hop rhythms...
.
A native of Mold
Mold, Flintshire
Mold is a town in Flintshire, North Wales, on the River Alyn. It is the administrative seat of Flintshire County Council, and was also the county town of Clwyd from 1974 to 1996...
, Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
, Edwards began recording in his second year of university. Working and recording alone, he began perfecting and exploring old keyboards and effects pedals. On the brink of desolation, this solitude is reflected strongly in the distinctive Jakokoyak sound. As with any complexity, the music requires active attention. It was these recordings that subsequently gave him the passport to a postgraduate music course at Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
. Without an academic background in music, he spent a year building on his knowledge of recording, and it was during this year that Jakokoyak started to get noticed in the Welsh media.
In 2003 he released his debut album, Am Cyfan Dy Pethau Prydferth (the title was taken from a badly translated poster on the walls of the Cardiff Union). In the same year he won a Pop Factory
The Pop Factory
The Pop Factory is a music and media complex in Porth, Rhondda, South Wales. It has given its name to a Welsh TV show.It was founded by Emyr Afan and his wife Mair Afan....
award for Best New Talent, and Am Cyfan... was awarded Best Album at BBC Radio Cymru
BBC Radio Cymru
BBC Radio Cymru is BBC Cymru's Welsh-language radio station, broadcasting throughout Wales from studios in Cardiff, Bangor, and Aberystwyth on FM since 1977. At the time of its launch it was one of the few FM-only radio services in the UK...
's music awards.
Since then he has supported the Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
in Japan, and performed at the Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios is a complex of seven BBC studios on Delaware Road, Maida Vale, London.It has been used to record thousands of classical music, popular music and drama sessions for BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4 from 1946 to the present...
with Mogwai
Mogwai
The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 meaning "monster", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".-Mogwai/Mogui in Chinese culture:...
. The EP Flatyre was released in 2006, and its lead track "Eira" was voted Record of the Week on London's Xfm
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
radio station.
An italo disco influenced single was released in 2008, titled ‘Look Away Now (If You Don't Want To Know The Score’) before Jakokoyak entered the studio to record his second album, Aerophlot, which was not formally released until August 2010. Basing the musical ideas on those technicolour childhood memories coupled with tales of break ups and downbeat days, its conception has been described by Jakokoyak as similar to “watching a fireworks display in the rain with the blind”. The result is a downtempo album full of wonderous electronic bleeps and beautifully eerie pop melodies. It contains tales about an abandoned Ukrainian city (Prypiat), the first dog in space (Laika
Laika
Laika was a Soviet space dog that became the first animal to orbit the Earth – as well as the first animal to die in orbit.As little was known about the impact of spaceflight on living creatures at the time of Laika's mission, and the technology to de-orbit had not yet been developed, there...
), Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space, when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on April 12, 1961....
’s very own postcode (Moscow 705) and a private seaside in Sweden (Amine).
The album received musical supervision from Cardiff legend, Sir Doufus Styles and features contributions from Super Furry Animals/The Peth’s Dafydd Ieuan
Dafydd Ieuan
Dafydd Ieuan is the drummer with the band, Super Furry Animals and The Peth. He currently lives in Cardiff with his wife Debbie, and their two children Cai and Lleucu....
and Guto Pryce
Guto Pryce
Guto Dafydd Pryce is a bass guitar player in the band Super Furry Animals.The name Guto is pronounced in Welsh....
, backing vocals from the wonderful Cate Le Bon
Cate Le Bon
Cate Le Bon is a singer-songwriter from Penboyr, Wales and now based in Cardiff, Wales, who sings in both English and Welsh.She first gained public attention when she supported Gruff Rhys on his 2007 solo UK tour. She has since played Glastonbury, Latitude and the Green Man Festival...
and Cardiff’s town crier.
Album
- Aerophlot (August 2010)
- Am Cyfan Dy Pethau Prydferth (August, 2003; Japanese re-release August, 2004)
EPs
- Look Away Now (If You Don't Want to Know the Score) (November, 2008)
- Flatyre (March, 2006)
Compilation appearances
- Respond (Amgueddfa CymruNational Museum WalesAmgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, formerly the National Museums and Galleries of Wales, comprises eight museums in Wales:* National Museum Cardiff* St Fagans: National History Museum, Cardiff* Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon...
) (March, 2009) - "Rallye Cloak 03: Goodbye Blue Monday (Rallye Records, JAPAN)" (October, 2008)
- Folk Off! (Sunday Best label)Sunday Best (music company)Sunday Best is the British music company founded and run by BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank. Its primary business is as a record label, but it also stages regular club nights and is the flagship organisation behind the UK music festival Bestival, which takes place on the Isle of Wight each...
(July, 2006) - Dan y Cownter (August, 2005)
- Gigs, Chips a 'Trip' Mewn Tacsi! (August, 2004)
- New Welsh Talent 2003 - Music Week MagazineMusic WeekMusic Week is a trade paper for the UK record industry.Founded in 1959 as Record Retailer, it was relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week . On 17 January 1981 the title was again changed, owing to the increasing importance of sell-through videos, to Music & Video Week...
(August, 2003) - A Step In The Left Direction (Boobytrap Records) (August, 2001)