REVIEW: Edelston & Dulcimer – ‘Making Waves’

Throughout these last few years, US artist Sam Edelston has been on a mission to promote the unique sounds of the dulcimer within contemporary pop and rock music. Inspired by the commercial identity of many notable acts over the decades, such as The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, The Beatles and many more, his work to date has been this wildly adventurous pursuit to bring something original to the scene. And with plenty of innovation under his belt already, he now delivers his eagerly-awaited debut album ‘Making Waves’, the first album to feature the dulcimer as the leading instrument on classic rock music in a rock band setting.

While not much is known about his instrument in a mainstream setting, the dulcimer perfectly suits his bright and immersive demeanour on this new full-length. Keeping the production as stripped-back as possible to allow him to fully take centerstage, ‘Making Waves’ is one of those rare releases that not only sounds intriguing to read about, but also manages to captivate you with its wondrous progression and flow. Brimming with familiar renditions of truly timeless anthems, rebranded for his own distinctive direction, Sam Edelston makes a brilliantly bold and dynamic introduction here, one that sticks with you long after the final note fades.

It is certainly one of the more unique listening experiences we have come across, with ‘Making Waves’ doing the job in bringing this unrated instrument to true prominence. It may not have the notoriety it deserves, but Edelston is showcasing its beautiful diversity here, proving that the dulcimer suits a contemporary environment just as much as its more familiar cousins.