nick nicely - Psychotropica

The man who inspired the Dukes Of Stratosphear…

Collectors of rare psych know that the late 60s is littered with bands who recorded one, two or three singles before vanishing from sight, leaving only fantastic music behind them. The always lower-cased nick nicely performed this feat during the early 80s, recording two psychedelic singles that received positive reviews but never secured major label backing to allow for nicely to record an album.

These singles were reissued in 2004 by Tenth Planet as Psychotropica, with a variety of demos and other recordings. Then issued on CD by Sanctuary, that label’s financial problems soon saw its deletion and is now rolled out by Cherry Red on their Grapefruit imprint. Anyone who’s never heard the 1982 single Hilly Fields is in for a treat, as it not only sounds like a collaboration between The Beatles and Pink Floyd but mixes hip-hop record scratching and contemporary synthesisers into the mix.

Despite being recorded at different times between the 80s and 00s, tracks such as Elegant Daze and On The Coast hang together like the two sides of a fantastic lost classic. On The Beach – recorded in 1998 – just blows the mind with its inventive musical persuasion, while there are also David Wells’ ever masterful sleevenotes to savour.

5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars

Grapefruit | CRSEG 014

Reviewed by Ian Shirley
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