Hi
Happy you’re here. I love making music. The project Paper Ashtray is somewhat of a re-emergence.
My hope with this debut album is that you’ll hear dynamic emotions built from a personal rawness of working through the mess of healing. With a background as a classical violinist, it can get cinematic at moments. I hope you feel seen or at least vibe with the project.
“The seamless fusion of strings with electronic and rock elements highlights the musical dexterity, creating an auditory landscape that’s both comforting and refreshingly novel.”
— C.B. Magazine
Paper Ashtray was born from experimentation in a home studio, pairing the sounds of strings and synths within rock. Inspiration for the upcoming self-titled debut album Paper Ashtray comes from the joys and pains of healing and the personal evolution through it with music influences ranging widely from The Doors to Fousheé, Fever Ray to Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Deftones to Stromae, and classical influences ranging from Béla Bartók to Johann Sebastian Bach.
Chicago musician Elli Elswick has formal training as a classical violinist from a young age and began exploring improvised groups through middle and high school years, eventually finding her way into other bands and music projects as a studio musician. She has played in a wide variety of projects including as a soloist and in the violin section of various symphonies, studio work for various artists, and more cinematic projects such as for HBO. This project is enhanced by the talent of drummer Alex Sheehan and producer/engineer Brok Mende (NNAMDÏ, Lala Lala, Victor Internet, Sen Morimoto, KAINA, Tasha, The Slaps, Kara Jackson).