ØKSE's eponymous debut album was released in 2024, on the revered label Backwoodz. It's a daring experimental Jazz project that features contributions from some of hip-hop's most unique voices. The band itself is an international all-star team consisting of; NYC based drummer Savannah Harris, Danish saxophonist Mette Rasmussen, Haitian electronic musician Val Jeanty, and Swede Petter Eldh on bass, synths and sampler. Each already established as solo artists, as ØKSE they collectively mine new ground, pushing and pulling at the edges of genre. «Everything from jazz to joik to rap to Haitian vodou." - Martin Bjørnersen, Klassekampen - “The glass wall between hip-hop and free jazz is the most obvious one that is shattered, but also in the sound and the underlying ideas, worlds that at first glance seem far apart are interwoven.” - Stijn Buyst, Gonzo (Cirkus) - “ØKSE’s appeal remains the interplay between the musicians, their ability to improvise without loosing the hypnic head-nodding groove that makes hip-hop what it is without ever sounding like anything less than jazz musicians”. - Joseph Sannicandro, a Closer Listen - “But regardless of genre conventions, ØKSE make great music..” - Joseph Sannicandro, a Closer Listen
ØKSE means AXE in Danish. The Axe has a lot of connotations, beeing one of humankind's oldest tools. Axe is also Ashe; the life-force that runs through all things, living and inanimate. Ashe is a current or flow, a groove that initiates can channel so that it carries them along their road in life. These are the energies that flow through ØKSE, and animate their debut album and live performance.

“The consequence is a new music that demands new standards.” - Martin Schray, Freejazz Collective

“..the real pleasure comes from the instrumentalists, who´ve forged a dense, sound world as adaptable as it is ass-shaking.”
- Peter Margasak, The Wire.

"Sometimes you can still be completely blown away» - Chris Monsen, Klassekampen