Of all the Songlines compilations over the past year, Dutch Delta Sounds was the one I was looking forward to least. Maybe it was the hurdy-gurdy imagery of the sleeve design, the frightening thought of traditional Dutch music or the hint of Germanic style oompa-oompa shenanigans. I needn't have worried, the Dutch area around the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt estuaries is a veritable melting pot of diverse influences that permeate the music like some enchanting global marinade.
Basically, every style and genre of world music is combined, twisted and blended to form a whole new variety of music. My personal favourites are the seductive, laid back smooth-fest of the Barana Trio, the gipsy jig of the Amsterdam Klezmer Band and the African rythms of Mdungu. Best of all is the slinky folk meets Arabic wailing vocals meets Van Morrison of No Blues with 'Wayack', which is an absolute triumph in anybody's terms.
So slap Dutch Delta Sounds on the CD player, cut yourself a slice of Edam and gaze longingly at your clog boat collection. Life doesn't get much better than that!
None of the songs on the CD are uploaded to YouTube so here's another choice offering from the Amsterdam Klemzer Band...
You can be adopted by the Garratts, I want to be adopted by those guys at the top. They're my real family. I'm going to strap a clog boat to each foot and sail across there right now. Melted Gouda in a flask will be my fuel. (I haven't decided which hat style I want yet when I get there, train driver or fez? Mmm decisions, decisions...)
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