The Gentle Good shares new single ahead of album’s release

Stephen Price

The Gentle Good has released new single ‘To Be In Summer’ ahead of his highly anticipated new album Elan, which explores the highly charged history of an area flooded for England’s water supplies.

Written in an off-grid cottage during a year-long residency in the Cambrian Mountains, The Gentle Good’s new album ‘Elan’ is a psychedelic portrait of the Elan Valley in Powys, Wales.

Featuring songs in both Welsh and English, ‘Elan’ explores the landscape, history and politics of the valley, which was flooded at the end of the Victorian era to create a series of reservoirs for drinking water.

Hafod

The third single from the album, ‘To Be in Summer’ is about the romantic notion of the rural idyll, how we are drawn to such places and fantasise about a never-ending summer.

The song is partly inspired by the famous romantic poet Percy Shelley, who was so enchanted by the scenery of the Elan Valley he tried his best to move there.

The title comes from the Welsh word ‘Hafod’, which translates literally as ‘to be in summer’. A ‘Hafod’ is a summer dwelling, linked to the traditional practice of moving livestock to the upland pastures in summertime. The practice, known as Hafod and Hendre (old town), was common for centuries in Cwm Elan.

Live performance

The new album ‘Elan’ will be released on the May 16th 2025. You can pre-order the album on vinyl and CD now.

The Gentle Good will also be launching the album at Cultvr Lab on May 17 with a full band, The Mavron Quartet, support from Laura J Martin and 360° visuals.

This unique audio-visual experience will bring the sounds and themes of Elan to life, immersing you in its rich storytelling and atmospheric soundscapes. More information and tickets here.

Read our interview with The Gentle Good about the forthcoming album, here.