Luminescent Orchestrii @ Cossachok

The Luminescent Orchestrii are only punk in so far as they thrash: their exquisite musicianship and mastery of genre is rarely heard in any amplified group. They rattle through klezmer waltzes and polkas from Eastern Europe, switching effortlessly between Appalachian ballads and Bulgarian drones. They rock Croatian dance and Greek instrumentals, and finish up with an ironic take on New York jazz. They respect their sources, while injecting them with a furious energy. That they balance such power and subtlety is perhaps due to their acoustic nature - or perhaps the distinctive two fiddle attack. Cossachok has been promoting world music for some time, and tonight is a triumph: sadly some of the crowd are ignorant of appropriate etiquette for unamplified gigs, and bray over the entire set. This aside, the inclusive, swinging and reverential Luminescent Orchestrii stunningly demonstrate the hidden potential in ignored traditions. [Gareth K Vile]