One crappy photoset of DIVER and GINGA at the European Music Fair, 23 November 2012, Warsaw, Poland

Thanks to GinGa (who couldn’t use their train tickets), the Austrian Cultural Forum Warsaw (that paid for these tickets), FM4 (that gave these tickets away) and tour manager Reini (simply the best), going to Warsaw instead of writing my thesis was definitely the right decision.

Paula & Karol, a band from Poland that also played at Waves Vienna, were dancing and singing along to Diver in the audience. Then I got to see GinGa from the front row (that wouldn’t be possible in Vienna!). After that, Rangleklods. Warsaw is a beauty, too!

Diver - London

Free (pay with a tweet or FB post) download of London via inkmusic.at/diver

Diver: Illusions (subtext.at Acoustic Session). I am a big fan of the subtext acoustic sessions, and this one is particularly charming.

There are two album presentations going on tomorrow, 25 January, in Vienna, and choosing one of them is a tough decision (not really, I’m on the guestlist of one of these events and I’m cheap and bribable like that), but there is definitely no reason to stay in tomorrow.

1. One Two Three Cheers And A Tiger present their sophomore album A Lot Of Talk
   WUK Foyer, 8:30 PM, VVK 8€ / AK 10€
   (Our colleagues Scenesters’ are giving away a 123CAAT bag on their Facebook.)
2. Diver present their debut album Kites
   Theater an der Gumpendorfer Straße (TAG), 8:30 PM, VVK 6€ / AK 8€ 
   (Remember you can still download their song Illusions on the January edition of the Music Alliance Pact for free.) 

(c) Nikolaus Ostermann

We’re thrilled to be part of the Music Alliance Pact (MAP), joining 35 music blogs from all over the world who have, since 2008, been showcasing artists from their respective countries by providing an MP3 each and posting them simultaneously on the 15th of every month. It’s our first time on the MAP, and we are delighted to kick things off with one of our absolute favourite bands who are about to release their fantastic debut album (can you tell we’re excited?): Diver.

Right-click on the song title to download an mp3, or grab a .zip file of the whole 36-track compilation here.

AUSTRIA: Walzerkönig
Diver – Illusions
Quiet is the new loud. Diver, a folky trio from various places in Austria and Germany and now based in Vienna, play beautifully melancholic songs with three acoustic guitars and lyrics that go “everyday reality is an illusion of possibilities”. Illusions is the opener of their first full-length album Kites, which will be out later this month. In the meantime you can listen to their self-titled debut EP on Bandcamp.

January 25: AT, Wien, TAG (Album Presentation)
January 27: AT, Steyr, Röda 
February 2: AT, Wien, B72 (Spot on Vienna)
March 9: AT, Klagenfurt, Parkhaus
March 23: AT, Linz, Posthof
March 29: AT, Krems, Filmgalerie
March 30: AT, Feldkirch, Theater am Saumarkt 

From this month’s submissions we also especially recommend the wonderful Apparat (Germany), folktronica by Esperanza (Italy) from the Munich-based Gomma label, and Toggi (Iceland) letting bankers and lawyers bleed in a handclap-heavy song. Listen to and read about the full MAP mixtape below:

Diver: Summer, from Kites, out on Schoenwetter on January 20th.

This is the second song on the wonderful debut album of Diver, and may we remind you that their song Illusions, the opener of Kites, is Austria’s first submission to the worldwide Music Alliance Pact, a monthly mixtape which can and should be downloaded for free here.

Diver: The Theory. Now a free download, and you should get it if you haven’t yet.

Diver, Illusions. It is no secret that Walzerkoenig (Vienna office) hearts Diver. Can’t wait for the album, can’t wait to see them live again.

Although maybe it is not such a good idea to tell members of bands you really like that you know who they are(!) and that you can’t wait for the album on a Saturday at 2 AM in a club. Not only is it super uncool, but they will also look at you like you’re an insane person. Which you are, as your friends are willing to attest anytime, but which not everybody needs to know.

Diver, Illusions.

Jööööö, it’s the Wiener Linien!

The Austrian TV channel Okto is starting a new format in cooperation with They Shoot Music tonight, October 3rd, 10 PM. The ten episodes of the Open House Sessions will feature Austrian bands, starting with Diver. After broadcast on Okto the sessions will also be made available on the internet.

Diver playing The Theory on Balcony TV

Diver, who have made it to the big Gasometer stage as Owen Pallett’s support act tonight in Vienna, have also recently made a video for The Theory. Awww, it’s a boy driver meets girl hitchhiker/photographer story.

For the French speaking people among you, here’s the link to an interview with monsieur Wolfgang Bruckner talking about the history and future plans of Diver on digsyshambles.com. The website also features an interview with fellow Ink Music artist Trouble Over Tokyo; ça se trouve ici.

Diver, An Open House Session (They Shoot Music, Don’t They?)

Yeeey! Now everyone can finally listen to (and buy) the debut EP of Walzerkoenig darlings Diver online via Bandcamp.

No really, do it.