Nickie’s Niches 6: June 2022

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1. 

   Alambari

   by DakhaBrakha
   favorite track

   Dostochka

   Boistrous obstreperous, and hypnotic all at once, DakhaBrakha brings us world music, incorporating instrumentation of Arabia, Africa, Russia and Australia into their colourful base of Ukranian folk. The vocals are, for the most part, when female, discordant, eerie, and/or plaintive; the male voicings punctuate the tracks with vehemence and rousing yells.

1. 

   You Have It All

   by Lobate Scarp

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   favorite track

   Nothing Wrong

   Here we have mostly upbeat progressive rock from Los Angeles’ Adam Sears, with plenty of guest artists well-known in the current prog scene. All of the usual suspect instrumentation (various guitars, bass, and drums), heavy on the synths and other keys, throw in some violin, viola, and cello, and you have a sure winner of a release. Ace production and not one, but 2 epic tracks. No surprise that this is enjoying lots of airplay, and promises to have lasting success.

   1. 

      Void Moments of Inertia

      by Once Upon A Winter
      favorite track

      //ether

      Hailing from Greece, has many elements of post-rock in it’s style, employing the usual suspects of guitars, bass, and drums, supplemented with piano, sax, and violin. At times they delve into classical and almost folk-like melodies, as well as the washy guitars one expects to hear in a post-rock outfit. They veer from gentle cinema-scapes to driving, forceful riffs, with nods to their Grecian roots, and are certain to keep your interest throughout.

      1. 

         Seven Widows

         by Believe
         favorite track

         II

         Incredibly melancholy, mournful, masterful music from Warsaw. Believe are seven superb musicians, whose work here is profoundly moving. A concept piece, examining the grief of seven different widows, it explores the many facets of life after a death, from within and without. The emotive vocals, combined with both the sadness and the fury of the instrumentation capture perfectly the maelstrom of bereavement.

         1. 

            New Eyes for Laika

            by Nerissa Schwarz
            favorite track

            New Eyes For Laika

            Nerissa Schwartz is no stranger to the progressive scene, she has been a member of Frequency Drift since 2011. She composes and plays electric harp, here combining synthesizers and additional keyboards for a sound that ranges from meditative to edgy and eerie. This is a contemplation from the perspective of artificial intelligence, which is slowly waking to cognitive life.

            1. 

               Invoke The Ghosts

               by Melanie Mau & Martin Schnella
               favorite track

               Calypso

               This release is a sweeping saga full of witches, pirates, demons, fair maids and heroes. Instantly recognizable by Melanie’s sweeping, soaring, unfettered vocals, and Martin’s guitar virtuosity, sometimes furious, and at times, delicately nuanced. The overall feel is acoustic and often Celtic, however there are other electric instruments scattered throughout. Prepare to be enchanted.