So real, surreal – socially critical Austropop

War, fascism, abuse in the church, and inhumane refugee policies don't sound like the right thematic basis for catchy dialect music at first glance. But this is precisely the balancing act that the young musician and poet Nicolas Robert Lang achieves in his songs such as “Gschicht'n aus der Sakristei” (Stories from the Sacristy) and “Wien noch Wien” (Vienna Still Vienna).

The trio, which almost sounds like house music, consisting of Pia Dietl (double bass/vocals), Felix Brandauer (Styrian harmonica) and the songwriter himself (vocals, guitar), creates a unique atmosphere between rebellion and cosiness that is rarely found in Austrian pop music. The three classically trained musicians skillfully blend a wide variety of styles, from folk music to church soul.