Afterworld - 2023 (Nick Nicely Alternatives, 2004-12, Fruits de Mer records, crustacean 97)
Welcome to the afterworld, a barren labyrinth where old ideas lie forgotten, unfinished, entombed.
Forgotten that is, until signals arrived at FdM HQ that space exploration robots had identified magnestised caves in a far galaxy, containing eerie musical approximations, some choked in space dust and some mere rusting hulks.
No matter, a crack FdM team including sound archeologists and underwater basketball players arrived onsite to carefully brush away frequency debris, revealing spectral outtake pods from history's 21st Century cosmic graveyards.
Using vertical Antigravity analysis, lazer micrology and an old Minidisc player, the excavation was meticulously comnpleted and these alien artefacts before you were transported to earth.
These vintage demos and outtakes show parts of labyrinthine creative journeys sometimes taking up to eight years to complete. The collection has been compiled by Nick - and who knows, maybe it will be the first in a series....
REVIEWS: The Strange Brew (with interview) and Goldmine Mag
Afterworld - back
Tracklist:
1. Rosemary’s Eyes (outtake)
2. Eels (abandoned project)
3. DCT Dreams (alternative version)
4. Blood On The Beach (demo)
5. Gallery (abandoned project)
6. Whirlpool (fireborn outtake)
7. Rrainbow (Berlin outtake)
8. Further Down The Beach (early Headwind Aheadwind)
9. Shadows In The Sun (abandoned project)
Secret Life of Chance - 2022
Secret Life Of Chance reaches new territory for DiY/psych shape shifter, nick nicely. Using analogue, digital, random but conventional processes, he works in ambient electronica while continuing his psychedelic journey, creating new characters and unique pop juxtapositions where no 2 trax play the same.
There's also all the eerie twists and turns, tuneful inventions and abstractions so revered after releases on Captured Tracks, Cherry Red and EMI.
In an era where everything online is hammered into neat categories, it's comforting that dreamers like this are out there mining influences from Meek to contemporary with a humble respect for randomised sources.
Butterflyy Mind b/w Waving Ghosts
Says Mr Nicely: "The shortest distance between two points is a straight line: Butterfly Mind IF in new sonic territory, then one is unsure and discovering what works.Things can get fresher, with almost starting-out vibes. I think that's happened here thank fuck... always happy to stumble onto that naive power.... Spaceman 3, Road Runner... dumb greatness"
[image by Hubert Solczyński]
On The Beach (St Peters) b/w Lives Unlived - "A walk on an East Coast winter beach...followed by a suicide watch dinghy" video here; review here
Self released and produced by nick
Sleep Safari - September 2017, Tapete Records (TR364)
Solar Wind single, out 29 September 2017 - Tapete Records
Ghostdream - single on Tapete Records (May 2017)
49 Cigars reissue - September 2015 - Fruits de Mer
B-sides: Belinda / 49 cigars live / Lobster Dobbs
Another Splash of Colour - New Psychedelia in Britain 1980-1985 Compilation, Cherry Red, 2016
Features Hilly Fields and 49 Cigars
Rrainbow - single - taken off Space of a Second album
Lo Recordings, 2015 - Lo121DS
B-sides: remixes by Vuurwerk and Rusty Santos
Headwind Aheadwind - single - taken off Space of a Second album
Lo Recordings, 2015 - Lo113DS
B-side: Secret Circuit Remix
Space of a Second - album
Lo Recordings, 2014 - Lo108LP/Lo108CD
TRACKS:
Headwindaheadwind
Rosemary's Eyes
Wrottersley Road
Whirlpool
London South
Longwaytothebeach
Change In Charmaine
Raw Euphoria
Lobster Dobbs
Rrainbow
Space of a Second backside
Space of a Second inlay
Space of a Second LP label
Space of a Second LP label
Lysergia - album
Burger Records, 2011 - BRGR109 cassette only
shares several tracks with Space of a Second
TRACKS:
Long Way To The Beach
Space Of A Second
The Change In Charmaine
Whirlpool
Translucence
Headwind Aheadwind
Belinda
Raw Euphoria
Lobster Dobbs
Rollercoaster
Wrottersley Road
Heavens Kate 2011
London South
The Kitty Comp - 2012 - Burger Records BRGR300 (2x cassette)
Released to cover veterinary bills for an injured kitten found on a California freeway.
nick nicely track: Hilly Fields acoustic
Wrottersley Road - single
Emotional Response ERS005 - 2013 / All Time low ATL009
nicks handwritten notes for London South lyrics
Ghost Dreams - nick nicely and Boars
unreleased but available on internet - 2013
Likely to be officially released in the future
nick nicely and UNKLE - Puppeteers
Collaboration with UNKLE, apparently shelved and leaked afterwards - 2011
Hilly Fields (The Mourning) b/w Hilly Fields (1892)
Fruits de Mer - Crustacean 27 - 2012
nicks classic single reissued with a new acoustic-based version
Fruits de Mer single package
Design for Translucence album (SoaS of sorts) - not materialized
Tthe track Translucence is featured on Lysergia but was dropped from futher SoaS incarnations of the album
The League of Psychedelic Gentlemen - EP
Fruits de Mer records - 2012- Crustacean 34
TRACKS:
Rosemary's Eyes - nick nicely
I'm A Stone - The Bevis Frond
When I Was 46 (In The Year 13) - Anton Barbeau/Three Minute Tease
The Puppet Master - Paul Roland
Permanent Vacation compilation
PERMVAC 016-2 (2007)
nick nicely track: On The Beach
Psychotropia - album (reissue) [read nicks inroduction to the album here]
Grapefruit Records – 2010 - CRSEG014 (CD)
TRACKS:
Hilly Fields (1892)
Treeline
49 Cigars
Beverly
On The Beach (The Ladder Descends)
Psychotropia
A Hundred Years Later
Heaven's Gate
Remember
Elegant Daze
D.C.T. Dreams
The Other Side
On The Coast 2
Everyone Knows
1923
6B Obergine
On The Coast
The Doors Of Perception
Marlon
alternative cover
alternative cover
alternative cover
yet another alternative cover design
Elegant Daze - album (compilation)
Captured Tracks - 2011 – CT-126 (LP)
a slightly different version of Psychotropia
TRACKS:
Hilly Fields (1892)
D.C.T. Dreams
Treeline
49 Cigars
Beverly
Elegant Daze
On The Coast
The Other Side
On The Beach (The Ladder Descends)
1923
Remember
6B Obergine
Marlon
Psychotropia - album [read nicks intro to the album here]
Castle Music - 2004 - CMQCD 952 (CD)
TRACKS:
Hilly Fields (1982)
Treeline
49 Cigars
Beverly
On The Beach (The Ladder Descends)
Pscychotropia
A Hundred Years Later
Heaven's Gate
Remember
Elegant Daze
D.C.T. Dreams
The Other Side
On The Coast 2
Everyone Knows
1923
GB Obergine
On The Coast
The Doors Of Perception
Alternative cover for Psychotropia CD
Psychotropia album - LP [read nicks intro to the album here]
Tenth Planet (2003) TP059
The original release and re-release of nicks early work and unreleased tracks
TRACKS:
Hilly Fields (1892)
D.C.T. Dreams
Treeline
49 Cigars
Beverly
Elegant Daze
On The Coast
The Other Side
On The Beach
1923
Remember
6B Obergine
Everyone Knows
Hilly Fields - single
B-side: 49 Cigars
EMI 5256 / 1A 006-64754 (1982)
Hilly Fields test print - back of sleeve
Alvic studio notes on recording Hilly Fields
More Hilly Fields studio notes
Hilly Fields label and review
DCT Dreams - single
Voxette VOX1001
Ariola Hansa AHA569
Hansa/ Hansa International 102.929
Arabella 102299
Strand 6.13089
Junction MS-518
Autographed backside of Voxette single
(credits: Charlie Pritchard)
Voxette label
German release
Ariola Hansa front
Ariola Hansa backside
Ariola Hansa label (credit: Mick Dillingham)
Ariola Hansa label (credit: Mick Dillingham)
Strand issue
Teldec press release
Teldec promotional text in German.
Translation:
We can't share any great histories about this artist, since he's brand new to the business. He's young, talented, writes and composes all of his material himself, sold all his valuables to allow the production of the current track. A track in which we all believe very strongly. It's exactly the sound which determines the hitparades at home and abroad.
Promo poster for DCT Dreams
Voxette press release