Anne Efternøler & Lige Børn | Brugskunst | May 9, 2025
Danish trumpeter and composer Anne Efternøler returns with a bold new release, an album that redefines ensemble interplay with an unconventional lineup: trumpet and three double basses. Showcasing Efternøler’s distinct compositional voice, the album balances structured ideas with free-flowing improvisation, all while embracing an exploratory, minimalist approach.
‘Brugskunst’ is set for release on May 9th, 2025, on Hobby Horse Records.
‘Brugskunst’ follows the 2022 debut of her atypical quartet project, which was nominated for a Danish Music Award and named one of the best jazz albums of the year by JazzNyt.dk.
Hailed as “one of the most creative and exciting trumpeters in the Nordic region today” (Salt Peanuts, 2022), Efternøler has spent over a decade carving out a unique path in Scandinavian jazz and improvisation. Her music is deeply expressive, characterized by a strong emotional connection to her fellow musicians and audiences alike. With ‘Brugskunst’, she continues to push boundaries, joined by an extraordinary trio of bassists: Thomas Morgan, Anders ‘AC’ Christensen, and Richard Andersson.
Efternøler’s approach to composition is guided by restraint. “We live in a world of information overload, and while composing this new music, I wanted to challenge myself to avoid overloading the compositions with too much information,” she explains. “I kept asking myself: how little can I settle for?” This ethos is evident throughout the album, with pieces like ‘All You Need Is Less’, a melody built on just a single note, and ‘Mellemtidskrig’, an investigation into how much can be held back before the music stops moving.
Offering a contrast to the album’s stark beauty, Efternøler infuses humor and playfulness into her work. ‘Lene Flytter Muren Med Sin Volvo’ (‘Lene Is Moving the Wall with Her Volvo’) is a sonic depiction of a spinning car wheel, and ‘Fråds’ (‘Gluttony’) playfully indulges in the most basic bass figure imaginable. One track, ‘Ting Vi Kunne Have Fragtet’ (‘Things We Could Have Transported’), was even written as a tongue-in-cheek response to a lone critic disappointed by the lack of traditional bass lines in her previous work. “I don’t like disappointing people, so I wrote a song for that guy!” she jokes. The track builds hypnotically around a recurring bass motif, layered with shifting orchestrations and rhythmic displacements.
With ‘Brugskunst’, Efternøler further cements her reputation as a fearless innovator, offering a sonic world where space, interaction, and storytelling take center stage.
Line up
Anne Efternøler | Trumpet
Thomas Morgan | Double Bass
Anders Christensen | Double Bass Richard Andersson | Double Bass
Track Listing
Hvor intet ikke høres
Hertil og lidt længere
Du vokser sidelæns ind i mig
Ting vi kunne have fragtet
Lene flytter muren med sin Volvo
Mellemtidskrig
Fynd & Klem
All you need is less
Chearlie følger efter mig
En kortvarig mobilisering af kropslige resourcer
Fråds
Jeg vil bo der hvor æblerne er sure
Født i egen krop
Tak for lige nu
PR Quotes
Jazzthetik (DE)
“There is this quieter, deeper, darker tone that sets her apart”“
Jazz Views (UK)
“Efternøler’s trumpet playing is conversational, often deliberately understated. Rather than dominating the trio of bassists, she listens and responds, creating a shared language built on trust, patience, and attention to the smallest shifts in tone and pulse.”
Esensja (PL)
“this album still offers many moments that will captivate more sensitive listeners and soothe frayed nerves. And since we often need this, I hope—also personally—that this quartet will return to us.”
Jazz-fun (DE)
“Anne Efternøler not only paid attention to every detail, but also created an atmosphere that exudes intimacy and closeness. This allows us to surrender completely to this music – a quiet, profound listening experience”
Blue in Green (UK)
“sublime and intricate”
Salt Peanuts (DK)
“The overall idea of Brugskunst is that less is more, and most of the pieces are based on a single note, articulated with great focus on detail and captivating elegance.”
Musik an sich (DE)
“the unusual element is precisely what makes brugskunst so special!”
Jazz Word (CA)
“clearly confirm that aural landscapes of novel and provocative sounds can be created with any instrumental grouping.”
Goldmine Magazine (US)
“a rare symbiosis of boundary-pushing experimentation, stop-on-a-dime collaboration, dense harmonics and lamenting melodies”
Wilderness Viking (NO)
“blend careful and melancholic landscapes with delicate and careful yet at times highly expressive and experimental ventures into quirky and challenging landscapes”
Cuttings
