New Flemish Raincoats

The best new band I have seen live in the last 12 months was Maskesmachine from Antwerp, who played as part of the 'Boterhammen in de stad'('Sandwiches in the city") festival in Brussels last August. The group (3 women and a man) combines electronic beats with 'folk'instruments such as the ukelele, accordion and contrabass, all topped off with bundles of energy and a quirky sense of humour. If the lyrics (all in Flemish) are double Dutch to you, the music and sheer joie de vivre of the band can still entrance. Sonically, they are perhaps closest to The Raincoats circa 'Odyshape', no bad thing at all. Looking at their website earlier, it seems there is no immediate sign of a follow-up to 2004's excellent mini-album, Plaktang. When it comes it should be worth the wait.