Brugskunst (Applied Arts in Danish) is the sophomore album of Danish, Copenhagen-based trumpeter-composer Anne Efternøler and her unorthodox trio Lige Børne (Just Children) – the three double bass players, American Thomas Morgan (known for his collaborative work with Bill Frisell and Jacob Bro among many others) and Danish Anders ‘AC’ Christensen, and Richard Andersson (Efternøler’s spouse), following the self-titled debut album, which was released too on Andersson’s label, hobby Horse, in 2022.
The fourteen concise pieces of Brugskunst cement Efternøler’s distinct compositional aesthetics – a minimalist approach with loosely structured ideas – or stories – matched with free-flowing yet reserved improvisations, and an ethereal yet highly expressive and emotional trumpet voice, which corresponds with the seminal voices of Norwegians Arve Henriksen and Nils Petter Molvær, with deep-toned double basses. Bro used three double bass players before, including Morgan and AC, in his tentet album with poet Peter Laugesen, Hymnotic/Salmodisk (2015), but it makes perfect sense within Efternøler’s sparse aesthetics and the three bassists ground beautifully her trumpet flights.
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. Efternøler says that this is her way to oppose our age of information overload. These pieces investigate how much can be held back before the music stops moving. Most of the pieces suggest contemplative and patient, lyrical and melancholic beauty, but there are a few sparks of dry, clever humor. «Lene Flytter Muren Med Sin Volvo» (Lene Is Moving the Wall with Her Volvo) depicts faithfully the sound spinning car wheel (and not just a Volvo); «Fråds» (Gluttony) playfully indulges in the most basic bass figure imaginable; and «Ting Vi Kunne Have Fragtet» (Things We Could Have Transported) is Efternøler’s tongue-in-cheek response to a lone critic disappointed by the lack of traditional bass lines in Efternøler and Lige Børne’s previous album.
Eyal Hareuveni
Anne Efternøler (trumpet), Thomas Morgan (double bass), Anders Christensen (double bass), Richard Andersson (double bass)
