With her latest single, ‘Boxer’, Abi Wade lays a military drum beat over her customary voice and ‘cello arrangement, creating a theatrical urgency reminiscent of Florence Welch. The idea that the ‘cello can be a popular music instrument is gaining weight as canny artists such as Linnea Olsson are combining it deftly with loop pedals and contemporary song structures. No less imaginative and musically gifted, Wade is at the forefront of this diverse instrument’s rennaisance. With a steadily building fanbase, including the BBC’s Tom Robinson, it’s high time we all got on board the Cool Cello bandwagon.
New folk music recommendations
