Biography
Emerging from Glastonbury, Somerset in 2002, the English experimental folk-rock ensemble Moulettes—self-proclaimed purveyors of "craft pop"—arose from a circle of musicians who had already collaborated since their university years. Fronted by the magnetic Hannah Miller and initially including bassist Ted Dwane (later of Mumford & Sons), the group consisted of highly skilled multi-instrumentalists who routinely exchanged instruments during performances and applied unorthodox methods such as amplifying and warping acoustic instruments. Their singular, uncategorizable fusion of traditional English folk, psychedelia, gypsy jazz, indie rock, classical, music hall, and avant-garde components, delivered through intricate vocal harmonies, drew primary inspiration from the folk/prog aesthetic of 1970s acts like Pentangle and Gentle Giant while also inviting parallels to present-day outfits such as Bellowhead and the Unthanks.
After relocating first to London and then to Brighton, the ensemble settled around a central four-piece lineup of Miller on guitar, cello, and vocals, Ruth Skipper on autoharp and bassoon, Oliver Austin on drums and guitar, and Jim Mortimore on bass, synth, and guitar, though the configuration shifted according to the performance and occasionally swelled to a 15-piece chamber orchestra. The self-titled debut Moulettes appeared in 2010 on Balling the Jack, with The Bear's Revenge following in 2012; violinist Georgina Leach contributed as a core member across both releases. Issued in 2014 on Navigator Records—the label also home to Bellowhead—Constellations benefited from an expanded studio allocation, marking the band’s most polished statement to date and incorporating an array of guest performers. Preternatural arrived in 2016 on the band’s own C.R.A.F.T. Pop imprint after guitarist Raevennan Husbandes joined the ranks, forming a thematic exploration of extraordinary animal-world occurrences. Moulettes maintained a steady presence at prominent festivals, opened for established acts including Mumford & Sons and Arthur Brown, and earned multiple year-end honors.
After relocating first to London and then to Brighton, the ensemble settled around a central four-piece lineup of Miller on guitar, cello, and vocals, Ruth Skipper on autoharp and bassoon, Oliver Austin on drums and guitar, and Jim Mortimore on bass, synth, and guitar, though the configuration shifted according to the performance and occasionally swelled to a 15-piece chamber orchestra. The self-titled debut Moulettes appeared in 2010 on Balling the Jack, with The Bear's Revenge following in 2012; violinist Georgina Leach contributed as a core member across both releases. Issued in 2014 on Navigator Records—the label also home to Bellowhead—Constellations benefited from an expanded studio allocation, marking the band’s most polished statement to date and incorporating an array of guest performers. Preternatural arrived in 2016 on the band’s own C.R.A.F.T. Pop imprint after guitarist Raevennan Husbandes joined the ranks, forming a thematic exploration of extraordinary animal-world occurrences. Moulettes maintained a steady presence at prominent festivals, opened for established acts including Mumford & Sons and Arthur Brown, and earned multiple year-end honors.
Albums
Singles
