Editing Ankst

{{Short description|Welsh independent record label}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
[[File:Ankstlogo.JPG|right|frame|Ankst logo]]

'''Ankst''' was a [[Wales|Welsh]] [[independent record label]] formed in [[1988 in music|1988]] at the [[University of Wales, Aberystwyth]] by Alun Llwyd, Gruffudd Jones and Emyr Glyn Williams.<ref name=Guardian>{{cite news|last=Adams|first=Owen|title=Label of love: Ankst|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=2010-05-06|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/may/05/label-ankst|access-date=2010-05-11| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100509052538/http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/may/05/label-ankst| archive-date= 9 May 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> After a handful of low key cassette releases, the label relocated to [[Cardiff]] and became a more serious concern, providing a launch-pad for several popular Welsh artists, including [[Llwybr Llaethog]], [[Super Furry Animals]] and [[Gorky's Zygotic Mynci]]. The ''Rough Guide to Wales'' described Ankst as "one of the most prolific, eclectic and innovative" of the 1990s Welsh music labels.<ref>{{Citation|last1=Whitfield |first1=Paul|last2=Le Nevez |first2=Catherine |title=The Rough Guide to Wales |publisher=[[Rough Guides]] |page=463 |year=2012|isbn= 978-1409359029 }}</ref>

Between 1988 and 1997, the label put out some 80 releases before splitting in [[1997 in music|1997]] into two separate companies. '''Ankst Management''' (run by Llwyd and Jones and responsible for [[Melys]], [[Super Furry Animals]], [[Gorky's Zygotic Mynci]], [[Los Campesinos!]], [[The Longcut]], and, for a time, [[Cerys Matthews]]) and '''Ankstmusik''', the label, that Williams ran from his house in [[Pentraeth]] on [[Anglesey]], converting the garage into an office and store-room. Ankst remained true to its low-budget not for profit ideals at a time when the ‘Arts’ in Wales fell to corporate control and public funding.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://link2wales.co.uk/2024/latest-news/rip-emyr-ankst-a-tribute/ | title=RIP – Emyr Ankst – a tribute – link2wales.co.uk | date=18 January 2024 }}</ref> In all, the label released over 170 records by a huge assortment of bands and performers, such as [[Tystion]], [[Ectogram]], [[Zabrinski]], Rheinallt H Rowlands, [[MC Mabon]] and [[Wendykurk]].

Ankst moved into film making in the 2000s, releasing the Bafta-winning ''Y Lleill'' in 2005.<ref name=Guardian />

Alun Llwyd also co-managed, with Kevin Tame, the Cardiff-based indie label Turnstile, home of [[Perfume Genius]], [[Christopher Owens]], [[Gruff Rhys]], [[Cate Le Bon]] and others. He is now chief executive at PR/distribution label [https://www.pyst.cymru/ Pyst].

Emyr 'Ankst' Williams died at his home in Pentraeth on 17 January 2023, whilst receiving treatment for cancer. He was 57.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nation.cymru/culture/the-death-of-emyr-ankst-has-robbed-wales-of-one-of-its-leading-cultural-driving-forces/ |title=The death of Emyr Ankst has robbed Wales of one of its leading cultural driving forces| date=18 January 2023|author=Owens, David|publisher=Nation Cymru}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Lists of record labels]]
* Full list of Ankst releases/artists - https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankstmusik

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Bandcamp|ankstmusik|Ankstmusik}}


{{Authority control}}

[[Category:British independent record labels]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1988]]
[[Category:Welsh record producers]]
[[Category:Welsh-language music]]


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