2 0 0 2 . ▁ ▁Esp v all ▁subsequently ▁entered ▁Philadelphia ' s ▁fl our ishing ▁psych ed el ic ▁and ▁weird - folk ▁circles . ▁ ▁She ▁joined ▁Esp ers ▁shortly ▁after ▁they ▁recorded ▁their ▁first ▁album , ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁The ▁Val erie ▁Project , ▁and ▁formed ▁the ▁du o ▁An ah ita ▁with ▁T ara ▁Bur ke ▁( a . k . a . ▁F urs ax a ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁a ▁tri o ▁consisting ▁of ▁Esp v all , ▁Esp ers ▁band mate ▁Meg ▁B air d , ▁and ▁English ▁folk ▁singer ▁Sh ar ron ▁Kra us ▁released ▁an ▁album ▁of ▁traditional ▁folk ▁songs ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁Le aves ▁From ▁Off ▁The ▁Tree . ▁▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁also ▁saw ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁Esp v all ' s ▁first ▁solo ▁album , ▁N im is ▁& ▁Ar x , ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁large - scale ▁sculpt ures ▁ere cted ▁in ▁the ▁mic ron ation ▁of ▁Lad onia ▁by ▁Swedish ▁artist ▁Lars ▁Vil ks . ▁ ▁Coll abor ation ▁with ▁Mas aki ▁Bat oh ▁( of ▁Japanese ▁psych ▁band ▁Ghost ) ▁produced ▁two ▁albums ▁released ▁by ▁the ▁Drag ▁City ▁label . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁of ▁these , ▁Hel ena ▁Esp v all ▁& ▁Mas aki ▁Bat oh , ▁included ▁several ▁Swedish ▁folk ▁songs ▁and ▁marked ▁the ▁first ▁prominent ▁appearance ▁of ▁Esp v all ' s ▁vocals . ▁ ▁A ▁BBC ▁review ▁called ▁it ▁" be aut iful ly ▁frag ile , ▁remark