Though their handle sounds like the title of a crime novel, in truth, A Murder in Mississippi is a six-piece band based in Ghent, Belgium that specializes in roots, bluegrass, folk, blues, and traditional Irish music. Yet they manage to merge their diverse influences into a array of sounds that boast a distinct style and a contemporary twist. The soft harmonies and catchy melodies reference the North American heartland, and the Mississippi River in particular, a natural connection to the various sounds that A Murder in Mississippi integrate into their music.

The band’s name also references the dark side of those environs, specifically a high rate of unsolved murders, and the alligators that roam the Bayou and the Mississippi Delta which are often responsible of helping murder victims to “disappear”” Not surprisingly, the alligator is a recurring symbol and a mascot of sorts that A Murder in Mississippi tends to employ.

The group — consisting of Leander Vandereecken (guitar, lead vocals), Mirthe Vandereecken (percussion, vocals), Lore Heyerick (banjo, vocals), Dieter Vanhede (keys), Alexandra Van Wesemael (violin), and Stijn Bontinck (bass) — released its self-titled debut album in 2018. Described by the band as “a confluence of the different music backgrounds of its members,” it reflects the infectious energy and enthusiasm that makes the band an audience favorite.

Their sophomore set, 2021’s Hurricana references the severe storms named Ciara and Dennis that raged through Europe the year before, rattling the doors of Barefoot Recording Studio where the band recorded. Producer Arjan Bogaert actually roamed the windy attic in search of old objects that could produce a percussive noise that would enhance the ambiance and create a dramatic dialogue between the banjo and fiddle.