Walzerkönig

Austrian blog about culture, travelling and the music scene in Vienna and beyond.

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AustroTOP – Die 100 wichtigsten österreichischen Popsongs – The Gap

50 Jahre läutet Marianne Mendts »Glock’n« nun schon 24 Stunden am Tag. Circa 438.000 Stunden sind das hochgerechnet bis heute. Gefühlt genauso viele Songs sind seither in Österreich geschrieben und produziert worden. Österreichischer Pop hat viele Gesichter und Geschichten – welche davon sind die wichtigsten?

Years of blogging about the Austrian music scene prepared me for this: I was recently part of a jury consisting of The Gap journalists who, in the first lockdown weekend, voted on the 100 most important pop songs from Austria. And then I wrote about one fifth of them. It was so much fun, plus it got me through the first days of Corona Ausnahmezustand. Read it here if you’re interested!

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Oxyjane – Dreams

Maybe it’s the autumny video, but this song gives me spring feelings. I can absolutely imagine this grungy-in-a-laid-back-way track on my spring playlist, walking through a park and humming along to the elegantly simple line “I just wanna be the one in your dreams”. I just wish the chorus was... bigger. More fulfilling or more daring. Not so much like a lover that butters you up and then abruptly ghosts you.

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Sanja Cin – Change In Chunks

I’m not kidding, that is some serious suit game right there. What a fun video. The song has some very catchy bits too. Sanja Cin currently lives in Manchester, but used to live in Vienna.

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Crush – There You Go

Do you know that saying, “Don’t meet your heroes”? The idea that people you look up to might turn out to be assholes sounds pretty realistic to me. 

What does this have to do with Crush? They might turn out to be assholes when you meet them, but I’d say the risk is pretty low. It’s just that early Popfest curator and FM4 correspondent (among other things) Robert Rotifer wrote them a short press release and (rightfully) compared them to Blondie. Coincidentally, I just read Debbie Harry’s autobiography “Face It”. And unfortunately it’s a bit shallow and it makes me question my whole Blondie appreciation? So I guess the saying should be expanded to “Don’t meet your heroes and don’t read their autobiographies”. 

Conveniently, that leaves more time to find new heroes and listen to their music, like Crush. Win-win!

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Rambo Rambo Rambo – Montalbán

I am absolutely here for this. I do not mind the artsy attitude or the secretiveness of their PR strategy, but it’s really not necessary. These Simon & Garfunkel harmonies are utterly beautiful.

Rambo Rambo Rambo are playing live next on January 24th, 2020 at Kik Ried. Their album Stories of the Ueberwelt is out now on Ramboozle Records. 

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Fuzzman – Pferdeäpfel

Happy holidays. 

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Dives – Chico

The rise of Dives coincided with the hibernation of Walzerkönig, which is why – gasp – I have never so far featured any of the band’s bops (and there are many). It’s a mistake that must be immediately rectified, because Dives are easily the best Austrian band of the year 2019.

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Amanda – Aus ewigem Liacht

I definitely wasn’t planning on listening to this song. It was described to me in an email as “Mundart / Psychedelic Rock” and that just made me want to barf. But, you’ve got to give credit where credit is due: This combination works surprisingly well. And in a sea of uninspired Dialektbands of recent years, Amanda have a USP that makes me respect them more than I thought was possible for an all-male band with a woman’s name as their band name.

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Don’t Go – Maybe We’re Just Getting Younger

I’ve had a shit year. 

That’s not entirely true. Let’s call it "challenging” instead.

But there were some highlights. Like when I was filling in for a no-show delegate at a Waves Vienna listening session, giving professional feedback for up-and-coming bands, and the first song that was played was this. 

The way “Maybe We’re Just Getting Younger” starts is an instant reminder of “Modern Drift” by Efterklang. Then, when the drums set in, you start to notice the influence of the track’s producer, Sophie Lindinger of Leyya and My Ugly Clementine. Finally, a beautifully husky voice singing “Maybe we’re all but stars” adds to the keys and drums, and that is the moment you just have to fall in love with this band. Especially if you’re a struggling thirty-something painfully aware of your own mortality, the circle of life and people having children everywhere you look.

It is so reassuring to be reminded that even if you’re having a “challenging” year, in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn’t matter at all. And you really are just stardust. And you’re part of something so big it’s impossible to grasp. Like all sublime works of art, this song puts things in perspective and leaves you elated at the same time.

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Wie kann ich Social Media-Plattformen als Musiker_in nutzen? Welche Möglichkeiten gibt es, meiner Musik online ein Publikum zu verschaffen? Das erfährst du anhand von Praxisbeispielen an diesem Abend.

Here’s a good opportunity to revisit good old wienXtra Jugendinfo: the MIT Musik-Informations-Tage are happening again. Entry is free! I was invited to talk about social media in the world of music. There will be plenty of space for your questions. Come through!

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Sowohl Mira Lu Kovacs (Schmieds Puls, 5K HD) als auch Yasmin Hafedh werden diesen Herbst das WUK bespielen. Die eine – mit ihrer Band 5K HD im Coaching Export-Programm des Europavox-Projekts – stellt am 25. Oktober das neue Album von Schmieds Puls vor. Die andere wird am 2. November mit ihrer Band Yasmo & die Klangkantine die dritte Ausgabe des Festivals Europavox Vienna headlinen.

I interviewed Mira Lu Kovacs of Schmieds Puls and 5K HD and Yasmin Hafedh of Yasmo & die Klangkantine for WUK Magazine (in German).

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What’s wrong with the “Space Nation” Asgardia? // Exploring Space

I was thrilled when I heard of the idea of a space nation. Now, not so much anymore. Watch as Full Frontal with Samantha Bee dives deep into the oligarch turned space royal who founded Asgardia. Of course his followers are 85% men. 🤦‍♀️

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Single Revue: Sigrid – Schedules

The whoop is addictive. 

I saw Sigrid during the Europavox festival in Clermont-Ferrand, France this June. She played on the medium stage, but gave off major Ariana Grande vibes, down to the extra long ponytail. Schedules wasn’t even released yet, but, true to the line “I think you’re a hit”, it was the instant hit of her set.

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Single Revue: Leyya – Wannabe

Has anyone mastered the blinky eye thingy yet? 

Releasing one summer hit after the other, Leyya have gone from melancholic to cheeky, and I dig this development, although this isn’t the Spice Girls cover I hoped it would be.

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Single Revue: Miblu – Still Me

This is such a bop I will overlook the shameless plugging of the singer’s own jewellery line. Also, I’ve been waiting for the return of perms for ages. Let’s make them happen again, pleeeease.

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Popfest Wien 2018 // PLAYLIST

Wer sich auch so gern auf Freizeitveranstaltungen vorbereitet wie ich, findet hier alle (auf Spotify verfügbaren) Bands und Acts, die beim Popfest Wien von 26. bis 29. Juli spielen werden, in chronologischer Reihenfolge. 

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The Perfect Wedding Reception // PLAYLIST

Since it’s wedding season and I’m the occasional wedding DJ, I thought I’d share the 100% perfect wedding reception and dinner playlist 

for that warm and fuzzy, 

90s romcom soundtrack feeling, 

perfect for a summer garden party atmosphere 

celebrating love. 

Feel free to use it!