Anja Lauvdal is a jazz musician and composer known for her work with piano and synthesisers. Her Laurel Halo–produced gem, From a Story Now Lost (2022), is a bundle of warm sounds. Abundant with rich texture and sonic roughage, its garbled samples mingle with tremolo synth compositions to deliver an almost steam-powered style of music. Its gentle sun-washed noise is filled with nostalgia and hue. In follow-up Farewell to Faraway Friends Vol 1 & 2 (2023), Lauvdal strips back these sonic layers to present an album of improvisations on a Wurlitzer electric piano. On it, the lullabic, dreamlike warbles of the piano are a perfect fit for Lauvdal’s melodic style – ethereal, magical, and beautiful in its earnest simplicity. The compositions improvised here by Lauvdal portray a rare skill: that of a master jazz-player who knows exactly how much to hold back and exactly how much to give. Each note is purposeful; each refrain is a gift. Spring 2025 will see the release of Lauvdal’s sophomore solo album.

Anja Lauvdal is an artist of the SHAPE+ platform for innovative music and interdisciplinary art, co-funded by the European Union and Pro Helvetia.

SHAPE+ is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.