Words by Lady Godiva

The Cornish high priestess Daisy Rickman rose and shone with her love letter to the moon, Donsya a’n Loryow, in 2022 and is now back with her second effort Howl, another soulful incantation in a league of its own. 

Released on the Spring Equinox, her enchanting songwriting incorporates bits and pieces of the wheel of year and bursts with symbols of nature and the elements. Also a painter, Rickman’s output is deeply rooted in the magic of the natural world and her painterly third eye is a seamless gate to an even dreamier wonderland.

Her stupendous low pitched vocals guide you throughout, as a connecting thread which is soothing and enigmatic in equal measure. Her vocal range will give you goosebumps, of the best kind, that feed your inner harmony. There is something organic about her earth themed songs, they flow at a genuine and unhurried pace, like mother nature.

The album was recorded in Dorset and Cornwall between the Winter Solstice of 2020 and Beltane 2023, halfway between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice on the wheel of year.

“Falling into the Rising Sun” is a wide open doorway into the mind’s eye, filled with radiant energy and beaming with light. One takes a further step with “Bleujen A’n Howl”, Daisy’s voice gets deeper and the mood surreptitiously switches to another dimension, eerie and incantatory. Cornish for flower, “Bleujen” is a sonic tapestry of Rickman casting spells, turning from a sun worshiper to a forest fairy.

The title track “Howl”  then dramatically changes the mood, as if one was passing through a mirror. Darkly atmospheric and shiver inducing, it is a transformative capstone tune with vibrations that resonate far and wide, it feels more abstract than the rest of the record as if it encapsulated the actual occult metamorphosis of a living being. 

“Golden Seeds” is a delightful stroll in the outdoors, soaking up the sovereignty of nature with Daisy’s meditative and hypnotic voice over, “A vision of the spiritual sun… It has the completeness of the stars and the moon.” Rickman’s voice is a blessing to listen to, one you can’t get enough of.  “Feed the Forest” epitomises Rickman’s power and magnitude as a forest witch, she rules the land with the fierceness of her conjurations, spellbinding the listener. 

Once you have immersed yourself in Daisy Rickman’s folk kingdom, you will keep revisiting its entrancing quirks, light and darkness and may not find yourself coming back.

Howl was released 20th March 2024 and is available on limited edition vinyl here