Nickie’s Niches March 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:15:54 — 104.2MB) | Embed

Subscribe: RSS

Not On Bandcamp Hayley Griffiths “Far From Here” Soprano Hayley Griffiths is no stranger to quality Celtic music, with a resume as diverse as touring with Riverdance and Lords of the Dance, to fronting the superb progressive rock outfit, Karnataka. In this release, she covers beloved Celtic classics such as The Parting Glass, Black Is the Colour, and Siuil a Ruin, with her clear voice chill-inducing throughout. She is ably backed by the instrumentation that one would expect to find at the local pub’s ceilidh, harps, bagpipes, tinwhistles and drums, plus full orchestra at times. Favourite Track: Black is the Colour

1. 

   Longing For The Dawn

   by Mysteries Of The Revolution
   favorite track

   Heavy On Karma

   This is jazz/prog fusion at it’s finest. They are forgiven for waiting 14 years since their last release for this one to appear, for it’s quite stunning. The musicians are all top-notch, this is keyboard-heavy music (Hammond organ electric piano and analogue synths), but the guitars truly shine, as well as the rock-solid bass and percussion, with flutes appearing from time to time. As complex and virtuosic as this sort of music should be, let’s hope the next one comes along a lot sooner

1. 

   Sing With Abandon

   by VLMV
   favorite track

   There Are Mountains Underneath Us

   London’s enigmatic composer Pete Lambrou collaborates with Ciaran Morahan and utilizes sultry vocalist Anja Madhvani on this ambient/soundtrack/shoegaze release. Dripping with melancholy, the music is woven primarily with keyboards, loops and shuddering strings, and Anja’s wistful voice musing, as if she were speaking her inner thoughts aloud, only just to herself.

1. 

   where the clouds touch the sky

   by computerchemist
   favorite track

   sankt nikolaus auf der autobahn

   Dave Pearson has been releasing quality electronica under this moniker for quite some time. His mastery of the genre shows up in spades here, sometimes veering off into progressive rock territory, but mostly staying aloft in the stratosphere, as the title would suggest. My favourite track is where a famed flyer stretches out on terra firma.

   1. 

      Scarlet and Blue E.P.

      by Sairie
      favorite track

      Winds of Sirocco

      Sweet psych folk from this Briton trio, utilizing autoharp, guitars bass, and male and female vocals. The tracks are spare, letting the lyrics shine, and there is a Medieval/Renaissance era feel to the tunes, albeit with some electric guitar added in. The songs are primarily pastoral, with lots of mention of flowers, a cautionary tale of lingering too long on Wight Hill, and warm winds from the East.

      1. 

         Tony Romero’s Vortex: Flowstrumental

         by Tony Romero’s Vortex
         I don’t usually purchase singles, however, this one is geared to support the Bob Moog Foundation, in advance of a promised full-length release. Tony Romero teamed up with Robert Schindler to create this composition which showcases the versatility of the ground-breaking invention. The track Is dreamy and warm with plenty of Moog and to spare.

         1. 

            Dominion

            by Zopp
            favorite track

            Bushnell Keeler

            Zopp’s sophomore full release is just as full of Canterbury, jazz, and avant rock as their first. Comprised of multiple keyboards, bass, acoustic and electric guitars, percussion, saxes, flutes, and French horns, there is plenty of variety here. With the addition of male and female vocals the music is also showing some elements of neo-prog, as the creation of multi-instrumentalist and composer Ryan W Stevenson morphs and matures.

            1. 

               Keep Believing In Love

               by Jano Brindisi
               favorite track

               Gorilla Girl

               Jano often tackles topical and controversial issues right up front, with no holds barred. Her songs are well-crafted stories, sometimes dark, sometimes full of the promise that one can indeed make it back from the other side of Hell into the light. Some of the tunes are given an Americana spin, but my favourite song here shows her very quirky side, taken from a childhood visit to a Midwestern side show.

               1. 

                  The Last Temple

                  by The Inner Road
                  favorite track

                  Star Fall

                  High energy guitar and keyboard pyrotechnics from this duo, Jacqui Taylor and Steve Gresswell. No short tracks here, but each one is perfectly suited to it’s theme and keeps the listener engaged. There are choral effects rather than vocals as such, and Steve aptly assists not just on keyboards, but drums and bass as well as the orchestration. Jacqui is responsible for the arrangements and the searing guitars.

                  

                  Dhafer Youssef “Street of Minarets” Every Dhafer Youssef release is a must-buy for me. All of his works thus far have been masterful, and this is no exception. Comprised of acoustic and electric jazz, a fair dose of funk, and a hefty Middle Eastern infusion, this release is a very personal one for him. He recounts as much in the accompanying booklet. With guests such as Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, and Dave Holland, he is reaching deep into his journey, recalling his struggle to find his home in the musical world. His signature oud and chanting vocals are here, making this just sublime. With all of the hardships he faced long ago and even very recently, ultimately rising above them with grace and humility, his musical world is a beautiful and sacred one to inhabit. Favourite Track: Bal d’âme

                  

                  Edenya: “Another Place” Very excited to bring this one to the show, it’s just magnificent. Just the kind of thing I always hope I’ll find, something that sounds really only like itself. To categorize, this is Progressive/Symphonic/Folk with more than a hint of psychedelia. The soaring, majestic vocals of Clélia Lenoble are joined by the singularly named Marco on guitars and keyboards, creating a sound which is at once ancient, yet new again. The music is mostly cloudy in feel, dark and enchanting, and is quite unlike anything else I’ve encountered lately. There is a delicacy to it, however, they don’t hesitate to get heavy when it’s called for. My favourite progressive release of the year so far. Favourite Track: Inside Your Walls for an introduction.