FolkWorld #77: MISST

Vor í Vaglaskógi is a wonderful testimony about the forest of Vaglaskógi, Iceland. It talks about the growing of beautiful birch trees in spring. After you’ve visited this magical place, your dreams come true. The Belgian band MISST heard versions of this song by Icelandic singers, and they fell in love with the beautiful atmosphere of the melody and language. Hearing MISST’s version, with its strong emphasis on vocal harmonies, makes you dream of this silent forest. It announces spring, a better, peaceful and maybe even magical time…

A Story About Uniqueness and Connectedness

The group MISST originated as an acapella-formation in 2017, as the Flemish deputy of an international Ferrara-busker-festival in Italy (at the end of august). Meanwhile evolved to a quality ensemble, they developed a program filled with rich musical traditions of an infinite Europe. With a lot of enthusiasm and finesse, they turned traditional music into our current juncture. In a time with a lot of debate about Europe and people longing for their culture and identity, MISST brings a story about uniqueness and connectedness. Their MISST.EU-CD highlights vocal elements of Europe and focusses on the rich cultural diversity of Europe in a connecting musical project.

MISST.EU is a long journey through many European regional languages. A journey that arises questions: why do people hide behind the flag of their own region? Their so-called identity? Why navel-gazing to a short history? Belgium only exists since 1830!

This trip highlights the old continent vocally (with 5 voices). The cooperation with producer Nicolas Delépine and various musicians including Jorg D’Hondt, Peter Verhaegen, Sam Vloemans and Laurens Van Bouwelen, creates a contrast between the more traditional and modern-day, which proves that traditions are not obsolete.

This road trip turns into a quest. To music that connects us all in a Europe that is no longer up for discussion. For the power of collaboration and the wealth of all these different regions. A surprising and thorough investigation to a musical DNA from the people of the world.

“Every voice has a unique timbre and range. With the five of us, we can color a lot of chords. I love singing together; everyone accounts for one voice. Every song descends from a different European singing tradition with each time a different way of singing, a different color, a different style… which proves the cultural wealth of Europe we want to demonstrate with our CD” – Elly Aerden.

MISST is: Elly Aerden, Linde Van Puyenbroeck, Liesbet Van Reeth, Eva Moens en Jan Van Rossem. The singers of MISST are also part of different formations within the Flemish Folk/world music/Bluegrass/Pop scene including Eléonor, Elllis, Zefiro Torna and Roots. For their live performances, they are supported by Gielis Cautaers (drums/percussions) and Jess Jacob (guitar and bass).

Sur l'eau is the third single of Belgian band MISST. Through call and response it tells the absurd tale of the chicken of Colin. Beautiful voices, snappy beats, a metamorphosis of a traditional song into a cheerful folk-pop version.