BEET THIS

The solo and collaborative bass player Helen Svoboda has been on an unorthodox musical journey since she began her recording career, finding inspiration in areas where most of us wouldn’t think to look. Recently returned to her native Australia after overseas study, she continues to add to her resume with Meatshell—a duo with her partner, the saxophonist Andrew Saragossiand with her work as a solo artist, in a chamber trio called Sprout, and in an upcoming large-scale audiovisual work about mass food production.

Where are you based these days, Helen?

I’m in Melbourne, Australia, but I was studying in Europe for two years before that. I count myself really lucky that I moved to Europe when I did. I was studying in the Netherlands and in Cologne, Germany for two years doing