After playing in a slew of unsuccessful bands for over 15 years, Belgium-based Gaëtan Vandewoude decided to move to the countryside and embark on a solo project. The result was an album of delicate, sparsely arranged baroque folk, in the same vein as American counterpart Bon Iver. After realizing he needed a backing band to fully flesh out his compositions, Vandewoude recruited three other musicians and dubbed his band Isbells. While the group's music still centers around Vandewoude's voice and acoustic guitar, the backing instrumentalists incorporate lovely touches of brass, vibraphone and harmonies. After releasing its debut LP on a small Belgian label, Isbells was met with acclaim throughout much of Europe and the UK.
