Edelston & Dulcimer "If I Can`t Get to You"

Sounds from the USA

27/05/2025 |

“If I Can’t Get To You” is a vibrant and cleverly crafted track by Edelston & Dulcimer, the musical project of multi-instrumentalist Sam Edelston from the USA. Clocking in at just 2 minutes and 27 seconds, the song channels the quirky energy and synth-driven textures of early 1980s new wave, drawing comparisons to artists like Devo and Stewart Copeland. With its playful rhythm, catchy synth lines, and infectious pop sensibility, the track stands out not only for its retro flair but also for its bold use of an instrument rarely heard in rock settings — the fretted dulcimer.

What makes this song particularly unique is that the lead instrument, often mistaken for a guitar or synthesizer, is in fact the mountain dulcimer — a traditionally folk-associated instrument with only three strings. Sam Edelston, the man behind the project, plays the dulcimer throughout the album Making Waves , his debut full-length record, which features “If I Can’t Get To You” as one of only two original songs. Co-written with Douglas Alan Wain, the track showcases Edelston’s mission to elevate the dulcimer beyond its acoustic roots and into the mainstream of rock and pop music. His ability to extract modern, rhythmic, and surprisingly versatile tones from the instrument challenges preconceptions about what the dulcimer can do.

Sam Edelston didn't always see the dulcimer as a rock instrument — he once resisted it “kicking and screaming.” But after years immersed in traditional and contemporary music styles, from bluegrass to bossa nova, he found a way to make the dulcimer speak a modern language. His inventive arrangements and energetic reinterpretations of classic rock songs have already earned him viral acclaim and over a million views on YouTube. With Making Waves , Edelston isn’t just making music — he’s making history, pushing the boundaries of instrumentation and proving that even the most traditional tools can find a place in today’s sonic landscape.