Austria

Vormärz are a very young, fresh band, which nevertheless sound as if they had already experienced several epochs. Meanwhile, the group has settled in Vienna to conquer the world from there. First step: the release of the self-titled EP in December 2016.

When you hear the new release of Vormärz, you hear a bit glittering 80s, sweeping synthesizer melodies and yet powerful, raw indie rock with a shot of disco-attitude. And a very self-conscious singer!

♪♫ Listen: “Moment” + album stream (Spotify)

Vormärz on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, www.

Voodoo Jürgens came, saw and won. At the beginning of the year 2016 nobody knew him in Austria, after many live performances and the single releases of “Heite grob ma tote aus” and “Gitti” that changed abruptly.

In October the debut album “Ansa Woar” was released and the audience’s interest was huge – there was a sold out album-release-show, and it got the best album reviews. Typical Austropop celebrates a resurrection!

Story-teller Voodoo Jürgens sings to simple guitar chords and only lets you go again when you have sung his songs at least five times.

♪♫ Listen: “Heite grob ma Tote aus” + album stream (Spotify)

Voodoo Jürgens on Soundcloud, Facebook, www.

Viech, originally a duo, grew into a 4-member band and was completely reinvented with the album “YEAH” released in February 2016.

In former times they made traditional folk-rock sounds in a certain way, now they have grown with “YEAH” and became rougher and much more melodic at the same time.

Paul Plut, front man of the group, is the trademark of the band, especially with his unmistakable gloomy voice.

♪♫ Listen: “Oh Elise” + album stream (Bandcamp)

Viech on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, www.

The Boys You Know started 2012 as a 4-member band and grew into a sextet in 2016. The group around singer Thomas Hangweyrer already produced the albums “Waste your Time” and “Purple Lips” and delivered the third longplayer “Elephant Terrible” in August 2016.

The former songs have been ascribed to the College Rock-Genre, with the new album The Boys You Know move towards adult indie rock music, with unrivaled influences from Dinosaur Jr. and the Smashing Pumpkins. Ideal for relaxing evenings on the couch.

♪♫ Listen: “Teenager of the Year” + album stream (Spotify)

The Boys You Know on Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

Singer Martin Rotheneder has already been involved in some band projects such as “I am Cereals”, “Ben Martin” and “Estebans” – since 2016 Soulitare has been his personal solo project.

The sound is reduced to deliberate guitar playing, clever rhythm and the beguiling voice. The album “I believe in Rainbows”, which is dreamy and yet down-to-earth, has emerged from this mix.

♪♫ Listen: “One of many Parts” + album stream (Spotify)

Soulitaire on Facebook, Instagram, www.

If Soul Music is too boring in its purest form, you should definitely listen to Robb. He mixes typical soul with pop, groovy and alternative elements that lead into a danceable whirlwind.

The EP release of “Heat” in April 2016 once again showed that Robb not only makes music for a niche. Because of its versatility, almost everyone can identify with it!

♪♫ Listen: “Down with it” + album stream (Spotify)

Robb on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter.

Polkov, from Graz, now living in Vienna, founded themselves at the end of 2012, early 2013, and drew attention with the earlier songs “Promised Land” and “Kamaro’s Song” through wonderful videos.

At the end of November 2016 they released their second album “Closer”. A record full of light, melodic-driven folk-pop songs. Nostalgic feelings included.

♪♫ Listen: “My Sweet Oblivion” + album stream (Bandcamp)

Polkov on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, www.

Mynth were not idle: they were already represented in the Best-Of-Austria-List in 2015. And because they published “Plaat II” in 2016, they can be found here again.

The electro duo glistens on this LP again with melancholic, spherical notes, which are peppered with tender lyrics. Dark and still a bit pop – no wonder everyone likes this band.

♪♫ Listen: “Lola” + album stream (Bandcamp)

Mynth on Soundcloud, Facebook.

Marcus Smaller has been in the music business for half an eternity. The former pop punk band “3 Feet Smaller” was put on hold in 2015 to develop musically in a different direction.

In May 2016 “I, Marcus Smaller” appeared as an album full of earworms. A bit more catchy, a bit more mainstream, a bit more pop and folk-sized oriented – the record is a must-have for pop-fans who love guitars.

♪♫ Listen: “I, Marcus Smaller” + album stream (Spotify)

Marcus Smaller on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www.

Earlier, Phil, Frank and MJ played in the pop punk band “3 Feet Smaller”, in 2014 they decided to go their own way and founded Lian. In June 2016, their self-titled debut album was released.

Focused on earthy rock and frequent rhythmic changes, Lian present themselves as advocates of the good old rock music, which in a certain way has nevertheless reinvented itself.

German lyrics, which make the sound even more edgy, round off the sound of the band perfectly.

♪♫ Listen: “FYI” + album stream (Spotify)

Lian on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

The Austrian Dialect-Rap-Scene impresses, above all, with one thing: coexistence. Artists support each other, collaborate on their Albums as Guest MC’s, go on tour together and: they produce great albums – more or less – together, like “Die Rückkehr des Untiers” (translated to the english title “The Return of the Beast”), published by Kreiml & Samurai.

Samples in the 90s style, smooth beats and lyrics directly from the souls of the rappers, authentic in their language of conversation. And they also got a big hit on their record, the song “Das alte Liedchen”.

♪♫ Listen: “Das alte Liedchen” + album stream (Bandcamp)

Kreiml & Samurai on Bandcamp.

Another 80’s inspired synthesizer band – but only almost. With the EP “Dogma” published in November 2016, Johann Sebastian Bass reminds us rather of the electronic duo Justice.

The latest work of the wig-wearing band is very slowed down. But this is not a bad thing – their sophisticated synth arrangements are also spellbound, even if you danced a little less to the new stuff.

Everything changes when you get to the last song of the record – the Curley-Sue-Remix of “Across the Ocean” is an absolute funky disco anthem!

♪♫ Listen: “Across the Ocean” + album stream (Spotify)

Johann Sebastian Bass on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, www.

Hella Comet are from Graz and have a female lead singer. That alone is supercool. In September 2016, they released their latest and probably best work “Locust Valley”. This also is supercool.

Many songs have catchy tunes, as they move from shoegaze-stuff and mesmerizing post-rock, and rather rely on enough intense melodies and the impressive voice of Singer and Bass-Player Lea. No worries though, the music is still based on the powerful noise-grunge-rock-scaffolding.

♪♫ Listen: “Swim” + album stream (Bandcamp)

Hella Comet on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, www.

Thomas Petritsch, also known as Singer/Songwriter “Effi”, was asked to write and produce the music for the film project “Planet Ottakring”. He had so many songs written and unreleased, so Thomas decided to found the band “Granada” and publish the remaining songs.

The self-titled album, released in September 2016, delivers a mixture of Balkan sounds (due to the accordion) and very fresh, cheerful rock garnished with Viennese dialect song lyrics. In addition you can find a coverversion of Billy Joel’s “Vienna” on the album.

♪♫ Listen: “Wien wort auf di” + album stream (Spotify)

Granada on Facebook, Instagram, www.

Indie Rock without typical guitars? Yes, that is possible. Gospel Dating Service, originally from Salzburg, left out the usual string instrument and instead use keyboards, bass and drums.

In October 2016, the album “Champagne” appeared, which clearly shows that you can still reach people with unconventional music. Impulsive, groovy and still Rock’n’Roll in its own way.

♪♫ Listen: “Red” + album stream (Bandcamp)

Gospel Dating Service on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, www.

Want to return to high-quality pop music? No problem, Giantree, who was formed between 2008 and 2010, created something with the second album “Match Cut” the demanding listener awaited for a long time.

Gentle-hugging chants underpinned with floating pop melodies await you on the successful longplayer. Hymns you want to dance to you will find as well as tender pieces that touch your heart – but beware: pretty much every “ballad” grows to an up-tempo-song! Maybe you never want to stop dancing.

♪♫ Listen: “Vivid” + album stream (Spotify)

Giantree on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter.

If Filou had existed 10 years ago, they would be superstars in the German-speaking world by now. But in our time they are a much underestimated band, which released their third album “Feste Farben” in March 2016.

They sound fresh and funky, captivate you with impulsive drum beats and yet produce indie rock in its purest form. Especially on this longplayer are lots of catchy tunes, which always tempt you to dance. Hiding is futile, because they will get you!

♪♫ Listen: “Sound” + album stream (Bandcamp)

Filou on Facebook, www.

Philipp Szalay founded Farewell dear Ghost in 2013. It initially started as a solo project and a fixed band construct developed. After the debut album “We Colour the Night”, the EP “Skin” followed in January 2016.

The 4-track-record includes a grand overview of the band’s future direction: the music sounds great, epic and a bit dreamy. The smoky voice of singer Philipp earths and crowns the tunes at the same time.

♪♫ Listen: “We were wild once” + album stream (Spotify)

Farewell dear Ghost on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, www.

Erwin & Edwin exists since 2012 and the band actually consists of four guys called Christoph, Simon, Florian and Michael. Four years after founding the band, their debut album “Messing” was released in March 2016.

According to their own definition, their music can be classified as funky, electronic brass music. And that pinpoints it exactly. “Messing” has become a danceable, varied, largely instrumental brass music masterpiece!

♪♫ Listen: “Freddy”
+ album stream (Bandcamp)

Erwin & Edwin on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

One of the most interesting Austrian representatives of Cloud Rap is Crack Ignaz. In 2016 he released three albums: “Geld leben” (in collaboration with Wandl), “Aurora” (with LGoony) and lastly the mixtape album “Marmelade”.

Especially “Aurora” with the hit “Oida Wow” is bursting with party mentality. Although the sound may sometimes be back-breaking, this album is one of the best in the genre.

♪♫ Listen: “Oida Wow” + album stream (Soundcloud)

Crack Ignaz on Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter.