Linus Vandewolken - Oude Geuze uit Niemandaal

Beautiful collection of dulcimer-led compositions by American-Belgian, McCloud Zicmuse, under his adopted Linus Vandewolken persona. Under both his given and assumed names, Zicmuse has a very storied history, working at various points with Okraina, Shelter Press, & Crammed Discs and contributing to the work of various other artists, including Maher Shalal Hash Basz no less. The suggestive idiosyncrasies of such associations ring loudly on this five-years-in-the-making set of European folk-orientated instrumentals, recorded, rather tellingly, on travels across Poland, France, Sweden and the UK. The ghosts of Olde Europe seem to loom large, as Zicmuse leans into pre-modern tradition with a playful hand, rendering the archaic in varying shades of abstract light. The instrumentation is a little different, but it's possessed of a similar spirit to that of say Jon Collin, Luster or a more turbulent Blue Lake (more Blue Storm, I'd venture?). The European avant garde underground's interest in trad. folk is almost unignorable at this stage, surely reflective of an intellectual concern with old understandings amidst such uncertain current times. Whether consciously or otherwise, Oude geuze uit Niemendaal seems to occupied with debating similar concerns, suggesting in its own sleight-of-hand ways that looking backwards might be the best way to progress. The olde way out might just be the new way in...