Nickies Niches #55: July 2026

Artist Song Time Album Year Aquacadia The Forest Edge 6:19 At the Forest Edge 2026 Chantelle Smith & Richard Wileman Wheel Of Fortune 7:49 Samhain Tree 2026 Grice Traveller 3:09 Filter 2026 Grice Canticle (Fayre) 2:10 Filter 2026 Baby Cool Mirage 3:20 Infinity Baby 2026 Marisa Anderson Sarvi Simin 4:10 The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music 2026 Sudan Dudan Gard og grind 5:02 Mørke refrenger 2026 Albion Mis Mai 3:14 It Was In The Month Of May I 2026 The Glass Society The Glass Society 5:01 The Glass Society 2026 Gealdýr Wyrmbana II (feat. Faeloria) 2:25 Wyrmbana II (feat. Faeloria) – Single 2026 Dan Caine Glass Bottom Boat 2:10 Momentum 2025 Dan Caine Flow State 2:37 Momentum 2025 Chelsea Wolfe Death is Not the End 4:12 Single 2026 At the Forest Edge by Aquacadia favorite track The Forest Edge This San Antonio duo bring a retro feel on this release, veering from Renaissance folk to progressive rock, and toss in some electronica…a bit of something for everyone. My favourite side is when they mix both the acoustic and electric guitars, which is done to perfection on the opening track, The Forest Edge. Samhain Tree by Chantelle Smith & Richard Wileman favorite track Wheel Of Fortune Wyrd/prog folk multi-instrumentalist duo hailing from Swindon have given us this lovely release. Both sing, and Chantelle plays guitar, harp, hurdy gurdy, shruti box, and bodran, with Richard providing all manner of guitars, bouzouki, keys, percussion, dulcimer and accordion. FILTER by GRICE favorite track Canticle (Fayre) We are blessed once again with a release from GRICE. He deftly flutters from the ethereal to art rock and pop, then jumps into jazz territory, with his silken voice properly at center stage. There are a slew of venerable guests to assist him here, from the usual instrumentation to the exotic. Infinity Baby by Baby Cool favorite track Mirage Led by Grace Cuell, this psych folk release offers both swiftly moving folk rock as well as lushly melodic balladry. Besides vocals, instrumentation is acoustic, electric, and pedal steel guitars, harp, synths, bass, and various percussive elements. The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music by Marisa Anderson favorite track Sarvi Simin Inspired by a 1952 Folkways compilation, guitarist Marisa Anderson has reimagined folk tunes from areas with which the US has been in conflict in the modern era. Besides electric, acoustic, and pedal steel guitars, you will hear accordion, violin, viola, and various keyboards. From Afghanistan to Vietnam, this is a thoughtful trip into the international language of music. Mørke refrenger by Sudan Dudan favorite track Gard og grind This is a critically acclaimed acoustic Norwegian traditional folk duo. With both male and female vocals, other instrumentation is comprised of guitar, langeleik, fiddle, harmonium, and jaw harp. Most of the songs have a serene quality to them, and some are quite haunting. Thoroughly enjoyable It Was In The Month Of May I by Albion favorite track Mis Mai Joe Parrish James brings another finely crafted Celtic/prog/rock/folk release. It ranges from acoustic folk tracks to jubilantly epic electric extravaganzas, never leaving behind Joe’s Celtic roots. I am torn between the opening track, which is satisfyingly sung in Welsh, and the wistfully plaintive Cherry Hill (Maya II), but going with Mis Mai. The Glass Society by The Glass Society favorite track The Glass Society Multi-instrumentalist and composer Jon Farley has returned, collaborating with the phenomenal Alex Deane on lead vocals and nimble-fingered Julian Brotherhood on guitars and vocals. This is a powerful treatise that mostly centers unflinchingly on modern alienation. There are some bright spots as well, with Farley’s genuine lyrics as poignant whether tackling the evil or the sublime. Not a bad track in the bunch, but the opening title track sets the stage. Cyning by Gealdýr favorite track Excalibur Dutch singer-songwriter Jonathan Berendsma, uses the pseudonym, “Gealdýr,” for his forays into Nordic folk. This release focuses on the Arthurian legends, and beautifully captures their mist-shrouded mythic antiquity. Momentum by Dan Caine favorite track Flow State Ambient guitarist from Liverpool uses post rock as a backdrop for these 6 solo pieces, but in a subtle and quiet sort of way, rather than it’s typical presentation. My only complaint is that I could handle twice as many tracks, as it’s a wonderful place to get settled into. Death Is Not The End by CHELSEA WOLFE Alt-rocker Chelsea Wolfe has released two singles (hopefully ahead of another full release), this one, and “The Dark.” I love the relentless build of this one, beginning in a whisper and concluding with an impassioned insistence.