by Michael McCarthy
“Caught me in the middle of the night / after that / can we go back,” singer/songwriter Ane Brun sings on the melancholic “Can We Go Back,” a dark and moody song that would seem to be about attraction that crosses an unfortunate line on her brilliant new album I Thought We Were the Same. It’s a thought-provoking meditation on regret and it’s guaranteed to give you chills. The album consists of 11 songs and they are all, in a word, wonderful.
This is actually an album I had been hoping for for a long time. I became a fan of Brun’s music several years ago and appreciated her organic approach but in the back of my mind I always wondered what it might sound like if she did something more electronic or synthy. Honestly, I didn’t think that she would actually do that but I always wished that she would.
Suffice to say, her new album is something of a dream come true for me. And she’s worked with some terrific people on this record. The powerful opening track, “Hold Me,” features Norwegian electronic artist ARY, who co-wrote and produced it, while “Eat The Fruit” features Norwegian electronic legends Röyksopp. Meanwhile, the R&B-tinged “How Can I Hold Your Hand” features Björk collaborator Emilie Nicolas. All three tracks are absolutely stunning.
From the press release: “At the heart of I Thought We Were the Same lies a universal question: what happens when the people we trust most become strangers? Rather than focusing on a single relationship, the album examines the fragile architecture of trust itself – how it shapes our lives, how easily it can fracture, and why, despite everything, we continue to choose connection.”
“This album became a way of understanding how deeply trust lives in us,” says Brun. “It’s extraordinary that we continue to trust each other, knowing it can be broken at any moment. That vulnerability is one of the most beautiful things about being human. Maybe we should all be more aware of how valuable it is that someone trusts us.’”
Between Ane’s pensive, often foreboding lyrics and the lush electronic arrangements, everything about this album is nothing short of perfect. If you’ve ever been with someone you thought was your soulmate only to discover that they were the furthest thing from it, you’ll especially appreciate the themes of this often dark and always pensive record. A+
I THOUGHT WE WERE THE SAME TRACK LIST:
1. Hold Me (feat. ARY)
2. Eat The Fruit (feat. Röyksopp)
3. Hand in the Fire
4. How Can I Hold Your Hand (feat. Emilie Nicolas)
5. Lean Into The Wind
6. Two In This Story
7. Reevaluating You
8. Can We Go Back
9. Shock Treatment
10. Certain Moments
11. In These Waters
ANE BRUN’S NORDIC TOUR 2027
January 30—Luleå, Kulturens Hus
January 31—Uppsala, Uppsala Konsert & Kongress
February 5—Helsinki, Kulttuuritalo
February 11—Malmö, Slagthusets Teater
February 12—Göteborg, Pustervik
February 18—København, Konservatoriets Koncertsal
February 19—Lund, Mejeriet
February 26—Falun, Magasinet
February 27—Norrköping, Arbis
March 4—Stockholm, Cirkus
March 14—Trondheim, Byscenen
March 15—Oslo, Sentrum Scene
March 17—Bergen, USF Røkeriet
March 18—Stavanger, Zetlitz
March 19—Kristiansand, Kilden
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