bäckström wärnheim

About

bäckström wärnheim is a Scandinavian duo formed by Finnish double bassist Jonathan Bäckström and Swedish alto saxophonist Marcus Wärnheim, who have performed together since 2018. Their music sits at the intersection of experimental and improvised sound, built on extreme low dynamics, extended techniques, and a careful interplay of breath, noise and consonance. Bäckström is based in Stockholm, Wärnheim in Amsterdam; both are established voices on the Northern European free improvisation circuit. The duo released their debut album ett in 2025.

What's new

2025-11
The duo performed at SOLA Festival 2025 in Helsinki (31 October - 1 November), an annual festival for experimental music and moving images.
2025-11
Bäckström and Wärnheim performed as a duo at the jaZZanti concert series in Helsinki on 3 November 2025.
2025
The duo's debut album ett was released in 2025 with mixing and mastering by Anton Toorell.
2025-12
Marcus Wärnheim performed at Orbits Festival 2026 in Amsterdam and presented, among other things, newly composed works by Jonathan Bäckström.
2025-05
Wärnheim and Bäckström participated in an ad hoc quartet with Jukka Kääriäinen and Sam Ospovat at Äänen Lumo in Helsinki on 10 May 2025.