Hey Elbow

Swedish trio Hey Elbow produces distinctive pop that draws on jazz, improvisation, and experimental noise. Vocalist-guitarist Julia Ringdahl and multi-instrumentalist Ellen Petersson, who had already spent years composing together, met drummer Liam Amner in 2013 after a mutual acquaintance made the introduction. The three clicked instantly, leading to Amner’s immediate involvement in the studio and the formation of a permanent trio. They chose the name Hey Elbow after an aerobics exercise demonstrated while they stood in line for a show by the Knife, and they deliberately downplayed individual roles so the music itself would remain the sole focus. Their debut album, Every Other, arrived in 2015 on Adrian Recordings, rapidly expanding their audience and securing festival appearances along with a European tour. When work began on the next full-length, electronic textures had become more central, a shift fully realized on the 2018 release C0C0C0.