There’s something about music made among friends that hits differently—warmer, more spontaneous, and effortlessly sincere. That’s exactly what Mared & Friends – Live at Lightship 95 sounds like, it feels like you’re in the room with them, feet tucked under a chair, drink in hand, just soaking in something real.
Released May 30th on Bryn Rock Records, the EP brings together a group of Mared’s close friends and longtime collaborators to breathe new life into songs she’s written over the past five years. They recorded it live at the iconic Lightship 95 studio in North Greenwich and 123 Studios in Peckham and the youtube sessions is out today. The whole thing is bilingual, soulful, and fluid, mixing pop, jazz, soul, and even a bit of classical influence.
“Performing live and making arrangements for my band who are all great friends is such an exciting part of a song’s journey,” Mared says. “I’m so happy to document our sound with the help of Launchpad funding.”
There’s no overthinking here. Just pure music and feeling. Whether it’s Lately, Dal Ar Y Teimlad, Fade Away, Llif Yr Awr, or Let Me Go, each track feels like a moment rather than a product. The arrangements are loose in the best way, everyone’s listening to each other, responding, building something organic in real time.
You hear it right away in Lately. The song feels unhurried, carried by layered harmonies that wrap around Mared’s lead like soft wool. It’s jazzy without showing off, intimate without feeling bare. You can hear the exchange between the piano, the vocals, the brushed drums each part listening to the other.
“Nei di’m cyrraedd y copa os ti’m yn dal ar y teimlad,” she sings on Dal Ar Y Teimlad, which means, You won’t reach the top unless you hold on to the feeling. It’s a lyric that says a lot about the whole project and This EP holds on to the feeling.
You also hear it in Fade Away, where Mared’s voice is soft but firm, backed by layered vocals from Mabli Gwynne and Miriam Isaac. It’s a slow burn, reflective and tender. “I find pieces of you in everything that I do,” she sings—and you believe her.
And then there’s Llif Yr Awr, co-written with Gwenno Morgan, which floats somewhere between jazz and neo-classical. It’s thoughtful and still, like a memory forming. Gwenno also plays piano on the EP, alongside Nico Widdowson, adding warmth and intricacy throughout. The rest of the band, Tom Potter on drums, Will Sensicle on guitar, Dave Edwards on bass don’t just back her, they breathe with her. They know when to lean in, and when to let a phrase or feeling hang in the air.
This is music made by people who trust each other. No egos, no flash, just friends playing songs they love, and letting the listener in. It was also filmed by Aled Victor, capturing that same energy visually, giving people a chance to not just hear the music, but see the connection.
Mared sums it up best in Welsh: “Mae perfformio yn fyw a chreu trefniannau i’r band (sydd yn griw o ffrindiau) yn rhan mor gyffrous o siwrnau fy nghaneuon, a rydw i mor falch o allu dogfennu’r sain gyda help Gorwelion.” You feel that excitement in every track and see that this is the kind of music that doesn’t need fixing, just good people, good songs, and enough trust to let the moment carry you.
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Stream Mared & Friends New EP ‘Mared & Friends, Live at Lightship 95’
Written by Angel Joanne Okonkwo
