Helen Svoboda Release Solo Debut, “Vegetable Bass”
Helen Svoboda has released a new album called Vegetable Bass and, as you may be able to tell from the cover, it’s a bit quirky. The double bassist and vocalist, who originally hails from Australia and is currently based in The Netherlands, used her debut solo effort as a chance to explore the “intricate combination of the overtone series and the human voice.”
“[Vegetable Bass is] the creative output of Svoboda’s time abroad, eloquently highlighting her unique vision with which she views the world,” the album description explains. “Hailing her favorite food group, the music pays tribute to Mother Nature and its culinary offerings – expressed vastly through sound.”
Svoboda manifests complex emotions with a wide textural palette the same way a painter would use colors. Some vocal songs have lyrics, while others just use vocalize to emote. The arco playing on the album can be tender or brash. Her pizzicato work is also spellbinding on tracks like “BEAN” and “Growing (out of nothing)”.
Check out Svoboda performing the opening track, “A Tree Tells”:
Vegetable Bass is available now as a digital album via Bandcamp.
Vegetable Bass Track List:
- A Tree Tells
- Jerusalem Artichoke
- BEAN
- Holy Basil
- Black Radish
- Beetroot (in blossom)
- Soggy Ratatouille (feat. Sebastian Stert)
- Paprika
- Squash
- Growing (out of nothing)
