Nickie’s Niches #54: June 1972

Start Artist Song Time Album Year 0:02:18 Henry Parker Ravens At Alport (Psalms) 3:55 The Dark Peak 2026 0:06:36 Mari Mathias Can y Melinydd 4:05 Cyfarwydd 2026 0:10:59 GoGo Penguin Call to the Void 5:01 Call to the Void 2026 0:16:24 Aisling Urwin One Day All Of This Will End 6:19 The Other Place 2026 0:22:54 Jim Ghedi The Hungry Child 5:50 The Hungry Child 2026 0:29:06 Vishal Naidu Gallops In The Mist 5:15 Aeons In Stillness 2025 0:34:36 Kalandra Everything In Its Right Place (Radiohead Cover) 4:32 Single 2026 0:39:35 In the Labyrinth Kabul 4:02 Worlds on Fire 2026 0:44:03 Ed O’Brien Incantations 7:34 Blue Morpho 2026 0:51:59 Lyrre Ephemeral 5:09 Nothing is Promised 2026 The Dark Peak by Henry Parker favorite track Ravens At Alport (Psalms) Fine guitarist looks to the natural settings of the Peak District National Park for inspiration on this release. It’s just him on his guitar and the sounds of the moorland landscapes there. This is just lovely and contemplative. I kind of can’t stop playing it. Cyfarwydd by Mari Mathias favorite track Can y Melinydd Dulcet-voiced Welsh folk singer-songwriter sings these mostly delicate pieces in her native tongue, and she tastefully brings in some modern sensibilities. Mari handles vocals, acoustic guitar, and harmonium, with guests on flute, electric guitar, bass, harp, and drums and percussion. The Other Place by Aisling Urwin favorite track One Day All Of This Will End Multi-instrumentalist and singer, Irish Aisling Urwin has a lovely, soaring voice. Her writings are in a contemporary folk vein, sometimes dabbling into jazz territory. There is a veritable kitchen sink of modern and traditional folk instruments featured here, too much to list, but all are tastefully played in support of this fine artist’s work. The Hungry Child by Jim Ghedi Jim Ghedi brings his impassioned delivery to this drone-y dirge. The piece steadily builds from ominous to near chaos as the tragic ending for the child is finally revealed. Aeons In Stillness by Vishal Naidu favorite track Gallops In The Mist Vishal is a member or a prominent metal band in India, but don’t let that fool you. This is deeply contemplative instrumental music in a dark folk vein. Primarily guitar, other instrumentation here are strings, flute, and piano and other keyboards, provided by some other artists in this realm. Everything In Its Right Place by KALANDRA This time, Kalandra is covering this Radiohead song, turning it into their own by virtue of their own signature sound. Their version is both airier, yet more lush, with Kalandra’s layering of both instruments and vocals. Worlds on Fire by In The Labyrinth favorite track KABUL Multi-instrumentalist and composer Peter Lindhal once again delivers his particular menu of richly flavoured world-infused music to the musical table. Peter alone plays too many instruments to list, and he also has guests on many others, plus vocals, as well. This is a heady mix of Middle Eastern and Indian music, stirred up with some western electricity. Not just world music, but other-worldly music. Blue Morpho by Ed O’Brien favorite track Incantations This is the second solo release for Radiohead’s guitarist. Psych folk for the most part, with chamber, jazz, funk, and ambient over- and under-tones. The sound is a bit muted, but not at all unclear, more dreamlike than muffled. Utterly phantasmagoric, and best heard from start to finish, but choosing the opener as my favourite track, as it is a fine introduction. Nothing Is Promised by LYRRE favorite track Ephemeral Full-length release from Lyrre, a metal band, who feature hurdy-gurdy, along with an ethereal, yet forceful female vocalist. The music is driving, as metal should be, but the element of the hurdy-gurdy gives it an enjoyable twist from the usual instrumentation one encounters in metal, and the musical complexity makes it an enjoyable experience.