: What gives 'Winter Song' by Nico a medieval sound? The song below seems to have a definite medieval flavour to it, but what causes this? Is it the guitar or vocal melodies? What scale/mode aspects give this feel?

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I'll give this a shot. Some elements contributing to a Medieval sound are

Minor-key, modal melody (I think it is Dorian)
Melody is catchy and song-like and follows a resolution pattern that resembles old drinking songs or sailor songs.
The 6/8 rhythm also contributes to a drinking-song feel.
Harmonic voice-leading features prominent parallel motion (parallel fifths jump out)
The strummed instrument is troubadour-like

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I agree. In particular, it reminds me of the Nibelungenlied (as sung by Knud Seckel).
I hear three clear similarities:

the melody, which uses the same incomplete scale and is actually quite similar
the harmonization, which stresses fifths and does not use the fuller chords we're accustomed to from later European music
the instrumentation, which is sparse and improvised