Moulettes

Moulettes are a UK art-rock group formed in Glastonbury, England, in 2002 and active from 2005 onwards. Their music combines rock, prog, folk and pop, and is built around cello-led arrangements, three-part vocal harmony, and frequent orchestral and progressive elements. The band also works in larger ensemble formats and sometimes performs with a chamber orchestra.

Formation and line-up

The group forms around musicians who meet at school in Glastonbury, with the festival scene nearby shaping their early development. The original line-up includes Hannah Miller on vocals and cello, Ruth Skipper on vocals and bassoon, Robert Skipper, Oliver Austin on drums and vocals, and Ted Dwane on bass. The group later includes Raevennan Husbandes, and the verified membership list also includes Anisa Arslanagic, Jim Mortimore, Hannah Miller, Ollie Austin and Ruth Skipper.

Current instrumentation across the band includes cello, guitar, drums, synths, viola, violin, bassoon, nyckelharpa and backing vocals. The band is known for using four-, five- or six-string cello parts as a central feature of its sound.

Style and activity

Moulettes sit on the edges of folk, indie and prog rock scenes while drawing on art-rock traditions. Their sound is often described through comparisons that point to expansive arrangements, dense vocal harmonies and a mixture of experimental and folk-rock elements. The band tours in the UK, Europe and Canada and appears on major stages at festivals including Glastonbury, Montreal Jazz, Cropredy, Bestival, End of the Road, Cambridge Folk and Beautiful Days. They also appear on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 4 and BBC 6 Music.

Collaborations and associated musicians

Over time, Moulettes work with a wide range of musicians and contributors, including Georgina Leach, Mikey Simmonds, Anisa Arslanagic, Emma Gatrill, Kate Young, Eliza Jaye, Marcus Hamblett, Rob Arcari, Laura Hockenhull and Faye Houston. Artists and groups who have joined the project at different points include members or associates of Mumford & Sons, Band of Skulls, Bear’s Den, The Unthanks, Sarah Blasko’s band, Sons of Noel and Adrian, Mystery Jets, Noisettes, Liz Green, Honeyfeet, Resonators and Mike Dennis.

The band shares studio and stage time with John Paul Jones, Seasick Steve, Nick Cave, Mick Jagger, Herbie Flowers, Arthur Brown and members of Gentle Giant. They are also asked to partly arrange an acoustic album by Levellers, recorded at Abbey Road and produced by John Leckie.

Releases and recognition

The band receives nominations in several best-of-the-year lists and wins Spiral Earth’s Best Band and Album categories, as well as Featea Roots Music’s Best Band award for 2012. Their later albums include Constellations and Preternatural.

Name

The name Moulettes refers to a word with several meanings, including a physics term, a biological reference, a type of barnacle or sea mollusk, and a small morsel of food. The group presents its name without a definite article.