Biography
A cellist equally rooted in indie rock and improvised music, Helena Espvall grew up in Sweden, where she performed on guitar and cello in rock bands and a silent movie orchestra. After moving to the United States and establishing herself in Philadelphia in 2000, she pursued Arabic music more deeply, appeared with the Amnesiac Music & Dance Ensemble, and entered the contemporary psychedelic-folk group Espers, recording the albums Weed Tree and II alongside them. An interest in free jazz produced further work with guitarist Eugene Chadbourne. She surfaces as a featured performer on saxophonist/flutist Oluyemi Thomas’s recording Before the Beginning and on Habitats in the Wound by From Quagmire. Issued on the Pax/Fire Museum label and produced by George Korien, her first album under her own name, Nimis & Arx, finds her playing cello, guitar, and recorder while also singing and employing electronics. Additional collaborators include Katt Hernandez, Lukas Ligeti, Masaki Batoh, Gui Mallon, Nick Castro, Bert Jansch, Sharron Kraus, Fürsaxa, Vashti Bunyan, Samara Lubelski, Marissa Nadler, Damon & Naomi, Arborea, Curia, Golden Ball, the Valerie Project, Polineros, and Scorces.
Albums
Singles