Laura Cannell

Laura Cannell is a pivotal figure in the contemporary UK experimental folk and early music scenes. Based in East Anglia, her work is deeply rooted in the psychogeography of the region, specifically its medieval history and rural isolation.

Her sound identity is built upon the use of non-standard techniques: the 'overbowed' fiddle (where the bow hair is wrapped around the instrument to play all four strings simultaneously) and double recorders (playing two instruments at once to create dissonant harmonies). This approach allows her to perform complex, polyphonic music solo, blurring the lines between traditional folk, early music, and drone-based experimentalism. Her career arc moved from the duo Horses Brawl into a prolific solo career characterized by site-specific recordings, often in medieval churches to utilize natural reverb. Critically, she is positioned alongside artists like Širom and Brìghde Chaimbeul who use traditional instrumentation to reach avant-garde conclusions. Her influence extends into the 'Modern Antiquity' movement, where historical fragments are treated as raw material for radical sonic exploration.