Nickie’s Niches 17: June 2023

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GoGo Penguin “Everything Is Going To Be OK” Concentrating mostly in minimal classical, experimental and jazz, Gogo Penguin are simply superb musicians. Utilizing piano, bass and drums, this trio masterfully creates heavenly ambient sonic textures. Even with a recent member shakeup, these three bring certain cohesion to their work, which examines their personal recent dark times and concludes that everything, indeed, will be OK. Favourite Track: (4:45) Everything Is Going To Be OK

1. 

   What To Do, How To Live?

   by Lakiko
   favorite track

   Tobogan

   Although Bosnian artist, Lakiko, has released several EPs, this is her first full-length outing. She is a cellist who utilizes looping and sings with an incredibly clear voice, in a Bosnian technique called, “Sevdalinka.” The music is haunting, ominous, and often dissonant, with dashes of electronica. Altogether enchanting.

   1. 

      Angels Of Peckham Rye (album)

      by The Wood Demons
      favorite track

      Big Game Fishing

      This band creates lush landscapes with all of the usual instruments of a rock band, plus electric violin.The music is hard to categorize, there are elements of post-rock, psych and folk, culminating in a mostly phantasmagoric dip into deep waters.The vocals suit the material perfectly, which, while often atmospheric and eerie, does verge into heavy territory, and they do that well. However, I feel they shine when they evoke the ethereal.

      1. 

         My World

         by Rachel Flowers
         Rachel is a superlative multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer who released this single, which she’d withheld from her late 2021 release “Bigger on the Inside. I think it would have fit, but the artist is the final word in these matters. I’m just glad she decided to let us all hear it. Stylistically, it is progressive rock and jazz, for the most part, with some pop thrown in for good measure.

         1. 

            Impermanence

            by Dominic Sanderson
            favorite track

            Like Shards of Glass Falling Through My Fingers

            An impressive offering from a young UK artist, Here he brings a full band plus Hammond organ, mellotron, synthesizers, keyboards, violin and viola and also flute and saxophone. He’s a gifted acoustic and electric guitarist, using mostly hushed vocals, to convey a sense of introspection. The music veers from soft melodies, with choir-like voices, to hard hitting angularity, sort of a crash course of classic progressive music, yet keeping firmly to the present.

            1. 

               Kolme käkeä

               by Honeypaw
               favorite track

               Kolme kakea

               Honeypaw is a Canadian duo, known for ranging deep into woodlands to find hollow trees that will be ideal to become temporary harps, then dismantling the harp “pinnings” when they are done recording. These are studio pieces, built around exploring Finnish and Baltic traditions, utilizing the Baltic psaltery, known as kantele in Finland, and kanklės in Lithuania, as well as the Finnish jouhikko. They trade off vocally, or perform call and response type pieces here. Absolutely haunting

               1. 

                  Light and Space

                  by Nashville Ambient Ensemble
                  favorite track

                  Refraction

                  Just as advertised, this act composes and performs ambient music and they are, indeed, based out of Nashville. Whodathunkit? Well, I would, I lived in Nashville for 9 years and it’s not all country. This is sublime escapist music, with violin, synths, hushed vocals, piano, and electric and pedal steel guitars. The music was composed to accompany an art exhibit at the Frist Museum, and they were so pleased with the result that they recorded the eight pieces for this release.

                  

                  NOT ON BANDCAMP https://www.marekvist.com/ Marekvist “Varde” (As hinted at a moment ago) Marekvist is (the winner of this month’s ‘Most Likely To Be Played By Everyone Here At Progrock.com” Award, and )an unusual variant for me, as they are veering into metal territory, albeit with a folk twist. They draw on Norwegian folk music, as well as hard rock, post rock, and ambient music. The vocals range from angelic to positively Valkyriean (if that’s a word) and the guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards tend to swoop in and provide heavy washes of sound, searing leads, and an insistent rock beat. I love the title track, but since Fanden shows more of what you’ll get with the full release, I’m selecting it as favourite. Favourite Track: Fanden 7:24

                  1. 

                     Our Song

                     by Chaos and The Cosmos
                     favorite track

                     The Singularity

                     A simply beautiful release, harkening back to the mid 60s and early 70s. The delicate vocals of Paul Langer, who also plays guitars, bass, and drums and John Allday’s keyboards, trumpet and additional vocals are blended with violin, viola and cello. The music is light as gossamer, with orchestral touches from the strings, and angelic choirs evoking the poetry and vastness of space. Hard to choose a favourite between the first and the epic last tracks, but going with the opener here.

                     1. 

                        Moorland

                        by Daniel Gillett
                        favorite track

                        Homes

                        This Australian multi instrumentalist’s offering is just an absolute delight. Just the kind of thing that appeals to me, an intricate mixture of Progressive, Medieval and pastoral psychedelia. Instruments are guitars, basses, lute, keys, organs, mandolin, synths, recorders, banjo, ocarina, drums and other percussion, and a few whispery vocals, all performed and produced by this singular artist. Almost impossible to choose a favourite.

                        1. 

                           Opium

                           by Secret Sky (New Release, April 14,2023)

                           • 
                           favorite track

                           Fear a Bhata

                           A collaboration of fine musicians I’ve had the pleasure of hearing for years with Loreena McKennitt.The electric guitar, in particular, is immediately recognizable in Hughes’ signature style and Lavelle’s rich cello and sultry voice are a perfect pairing. Rounding out the sound are violin, drums & percussion, bass, and lyra. This is an epicurean’s blend of world music, with the emphasis on Middle Eastern and Celtic, along with some jazz for complex flavour.