Hills of Belgium is an old-time music duo: two voices, fiddle and banjo. They play songs and tunes from American traditional music with a fresh, lively approach.
After two well-received EPs, a hundred concerts across Europe and a journey the Appalachian Mountains, the cradle of old-time music, the duo released their first full-length album in Fall 2024 : Come on Buddy Don’t You Want to Go.
The album mixes traditional songs with original pieces and shows both old and newer influences from Burnett & Rutherford to Nora Brown & Stephanie Coleman. Occasionally joined by brass and drums (Pauline Leblond, Alice Riberolles & Antoine Rotthier), Hills of Belgium offer a personal interpretation of old-time music — deeply rooted in Appalachian traditions yet shaped by a distinctly European sensibility.
Through travel, encounters and attentive listening, Jérémie Fraboni and Lorcan Fahy share a living tradition. Having grown up listening to American music, its roots have naturally become part of their own musical identity. Their music is passed on, reshaped, and firmly connected to the present moment.
“Their folk roots are clearly evident in every note and nuance, somewhat sparingly performed and yet shared with a full finesse found within the context of archival instrumentation.” – Lee Zimmerman, Bluegrass Today
“Intriguing and highly listenable.” -Tim Martin, Americana UK