Favourite niche albums

Many of my close friends know I am an avid lover of music. Just like my extensive love for perfume, music holds broader value to me than simply background music. This is also characterised by a wide range of music genres that I adhere to, stemming from the need for a specific genre to fit a certain vibe. My girlfriend would describe me as an audiophile, because I have a deep desire to hear every tune and note in a song and discover new instruments and beats with every listen. I for example was thrilled when Spotify introduced lossless streaming. Another great example is that I am an enthusiastic CD collector, purely because I am of the firm believe that music simply sounds better on CD. I am also a notorious album listener. I adore the storytelling that artists envision through their albums.

Artists like Lana del Rey, Florence + The Machine and Melanie Martinez portray my overall music profile. Furthermore they're the artist I listen to most often. However, my taste profile is also defined by niche artists. One of my favourite albums for example is Within the depths of a darkened forest by Autumn's Grey Solace. As I tend to talk often about my all-time favourite albums to my girlfriend (bless her heart for memorising them), I craved to write about my favourite niche albums. And what better place than my own blog? So today I present you with my favourite niche albums. And let me tell you, they differ quite a lot from eachother. Before I dive into them, I wanted to preface this article by defining niche. Niche to me means smaller artists that are not known by the broader mass, but rather a small group of people who subscribe to their genre. 

1. Eldest Daughter of an Eldest Daughter - Kiki Rockwell 

I listened to this album so often that it completely took over my spotify wrapped in 2025. I first discovered Kiki Rockwell in late 2024 when I was looking for songs for my witchcraft playlist. Ever since then I have been hooked on her music. Her music is described as medieval pop, since she draws inspiration from folktales and folklore, while also addressing misogyny and intergenerational trauma. The worldbuilding within her album is phenomenal and I am truly amazed by how she managed to do so while writing, producing and recording the songs herself. 

I had the pleasure of seeing her live back in April at her very first tour and concert and it was amazing. I've dreamt of hearing Faery King live (my favourite of the album) and it was better than I could've imagined. I am saddened by the fact that Eldest daughter of an eldest daughter is not avaible on CD, because I would love to hear the depths of it. She also has a more witchier album titled Rituals on the bank of a familiar river, if you favour that scenery more. 

2. Baby I'm The Wolf - Ha Vay 

Released on the Summer Solstice and the Strawberry Moon in 2024, this album calls out to my inner wildness. It has a special place in my heart because it was released in my first year as a witch, and I did one of my first big rituals to the album. Now it's an album that's the soundtrack for my Beltane, Litha and Lughnasadh. The wildness and being feral that this album embodies blends immersively with these sabbats. This is truly a witchy whimsy album for those summer esbats and rituals. 

Furthermore I think the ethereal ferociousness that this album embodies is truly meaningful to me. To be loved as you come and not be changed by anyone. To let yourself be free and wild as you are meant to be. Although Ha Vay, like Kiki Rockwell, also draws inspiration from folklore, her world building is set in a 90's whimsical movie, where a girl discovers her true self. My favourite from the album is Baby I'm the wolf, though Nature's bride is a close second, but that's mainly because it holds sentimental value to me. Baby I'm the wolf speaks to me on a deeper level, where nothing can belittle you nor should you let them. Although the album is available on CD, it's been sold out for a long while. One day I hope to get my hands on the CD, which is absolutely stunning by the way. 

3. Within the Depths of a Darkened Forest - Autumn's Grey Solace 

With it's dreamy and moody artistic style, this Shoegaze album sets the perfect autumn ambience for me. It contrasts heavily with the previous two albums, as the music is slower, dreamier and the songs seem to fade away into each other. It's haziness is suitable for writing on a rainy day. Although this album has no particular meaning for me, it sets a tone and a mood and calms me down. It's just the feeling of coming home and walking alone in a forest. It brings feelings of nostalgia and yearning, something I can't quite describe. I had discovered the album and Autumn's Grey Solace through Pinterest. And honestly, how weird this might seem, Pinterest is a great place to discover more niche and alterantive albums and/or music.  

This album also brought life to a fond memory of mine. I was walking through a forest in late autumn. As it got darker earlier, I spent my evening walking through the forest in the dark, set on meeting the oldest tree in my region. This autumn was particularly difficult for me, it had been a year since my rabbit Lili died, my other rabbit got sick and I was dealing with existential crisis and the feeling of being lost. Nobody was around and I took the moment to do a walking meditation where I was walking and talking with a teenager me, as this album was setting the mood. The red and orange autumn leaves were blowing in the darkened sky, the smell of petrichor and rotting leaves filled up my senses as I told younger me about my life. This has always been a great exercise for me when I feel lost or stuck in my thought patterns. It helps me feel grateful for what I have and how I have reached my goals and that what younger me wished for. It's like feeling a slight moment of proudness while also healing my inner child. And for a moment, as Shadows of Moonlit Skies was playing, I felt at peace amidst my chaotic life. As if I was standing in the eye of the hurricane.

Sadly, this is once again an album that's been hard to get my hands on. It's currently sold out, however Autumn's Grey Solace announced on their instagram that they will be doing a re-release of this album. So hopefully I am able to get my hands on it then. 

4. Hiss Spun - Chelsea Wolfe 

Last week I had mentioned my recent rediscovery of Chelsea Wolfe and quickly her album Hiss Spun made it back into my favourites. Released on the Autumn Equinox, it perfectly sets the tone for both Samhain and Mabon. Although it's quite a niche rock album, this album has actually charted on the Billboard 200 at 146 and for good reasons. This album embodies themes of confronting various (often mental) health issues, like severe anxiety and insomnia to the point of where it manifested into addiction. Chelsea Wolfe furthermore describes this album as a personal exorcism as she comes to terms with both familial and personal issues. The writing of this album in combination with the unsettling fuzzy guitar and bass is what truly speaks to me. It creates a haunting and uncomfrotable setting where ones own personal shadow can be faced. 

My favourite from the album is 16 Psyche, a song about being in your body and then being free. This song refers to the 16th asteroid to ever be discovered, that's been named after the greek goddess Psyche. It symbolises a fortified soul. I interpret the song as finding escape in sexual encounters, where the narrator tries to save herself, but finds that she hardened herself to the point of beyond saving. 

I hope you enjoyed the music and were able to get new recommendations or inspirations from this post :). Thank you for reading!

Are there any niche albums or songs you listen to often?