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IWASIG

Almost painfully beautiful

Würzburg Volksblatt 16th September 2002

Hubert von Goisern: Iwasig. The title (the emphasis is on the i) means above, over - and with all alpine peaks: the Goiserer's new album is over, is above all the wonderful and strange things which he hitherto managed. The lyrics of inspired simplicity, the songs of simpler finesse, he packs the traditions of his homeland into his rucksack and finally works his way to being a world music freethinker, an alpine Ry Cooder, without frontiers, without a care in his head. Heilige adapts funk, Aus is rocks yodelling, Poika summons New Orleans onto the dancefloor, Afrika is feather-light Afro-Austro pop, I bin ån is haunted by Dr John, the chilly Schön war's has the blues, Dunkelblau and Neuer Tag are almost painfully beautiful in their quiet melancholy. ★★★★★

Creative remix of musical traditions

Aargauer Zeitung 15th October 2002 | Text: Nathanael Galler

Bold Hubert von Goisern mixes the most different genres on his hitherto strongest album

The Austrian ethno-bard Hubert von Goisern surprises with a facet-rich album, which swings between all musical directions.

The life of the musical adventurer, who once fled the confinement of the Salzkammergut, is shaped by great variations: at the end of the eighties, he created folk rock and with it smoothed the way for individualistic music oddballs like Florian Ast. After success with the Alpinkatzen band, who rose from the Hiatamadl hit among others, he surprisingly broken up the band again, in order to devote himself to film music. Official reason: He must find his inner voice again.

After years of sense and sound searching, the unconventional musician returned to the public with one African and one Tibetan shaped record, which showed his extensive world journeys. His hit following in Austria did not like it at all: instead of crashing yodels, now they suddenly had subtle ethno sound in their ears.

Two years ago the Goiserer surprised once more - with the comeback Fön, which, rather in Austropop format, followed old times. Shortly afterwards he released Trad, a collection of traditional folk tunes from his homeland, which he prepared in a pure and considerate way for our time. A cultural historical star feat. The following double tour brought him a triumph and the long-term missing person accommodated with the public again.

Goisern's hitherto most mature work

The now present album Iwasig (dialect for oberhalb, drüber) presents probably his best and most mature work. In a spontaneous and relaxed way it gathers all his strengths: the rocky freshness, the traditional depth, the ethnic consciousness. But above all the Upper Austrian presents himself as one hell of a musical chap, who juggles supremely well with the different musical ingredients.

The album begins indeed in the best blues manner, lamenting false holy people and the general misery of life - but already with Aus is follows the first surprise: the simple speech song, underlined by a funk guitar and a freaky Jews' harp, develops to an endless yodel together with cracking singing. So it then continues. Volxjammer is a wonderful folk song - the accordion plays alone -, which gradually dissolves into a rocky organ inferno. And I bi an is pure funk, in which Hubert does not only project an image of an Austrian James Brown, but also raps as Falco once did. This song also flows into a gospel in conclusion: "I sieg des Licht" ("I see the light") to shrieking female voices - simply marvellous!

The theatrical high point of the richly facetted album played in a jazz manner is the cosy and sleepy Nix tuan: the Goiserer corresponds for five minutes with his answerphone and with it sneers at the people who think he is so stressed. In the background a sound picture of Tom Waits-like subtlety. Schad, a further danceable number begins in bossa nova rhythms and is not embarrassed to join an accordion to the soul voice (the accordion then slowly - and very unorthodoxly - swings to the rhythm).

After an instrumental, melancholic portrayal à la Dave Douglas the album ends with Neuer Tag, a further atmospheric song, in which aside from a hopeful yodel and a "shoobidoo" from the background singers, a Dire Straits guitar unexpectedly emerges.

Yodelling for a better world

Planet Music November 2002 | Text: manfred@planet.tt

Amadeus Award winner in the area of jazz, folk and blues, Hubert von Goisern - who also served as opening musician at this year's Jazzfest Wien - releases a further move after Fön and Trad with Iwasig, with which he presents us a world musical overall view in all correctness. Packed in rhythms and exotic intonations, his lyrics handle the world situation from religion (Heilige) and politics with classic formulations like "Wieviel leben auf dera Welt / ganz ohne Geld ganz ohne Geld / und wieviel haben so viel / dass gar nit wissen wohin" ("How many live in the world / with no money at all, with no money at all / and how many have so much / that they don't know what to do with it all ") (Afrika), as well as memories of relationships (Schön war's, Schad). Hubert von Goisern is considered by many to be the momentum of new folk music (which naturally has not been new for a long time), others however envy him for his many years of success (which, from an Austrian viewpoint is deeply Austrian) and reproach him for his political correctness (although taking trouble over political correctness themselves) - and that will also, as for Iwasig, remain that way. With it the dozen songs certainly belong to HvG's best artistic output. His compositions are more mature, the arrangements more varied and complex, his expression unmistakeable, his yodelling for a better world still more earthy, his creativity is unbroken. In short: he knows what he is doing - or does he? HvG in Poika's own words: "Toan ma so wia wenn ma wissen was ma tätn / weil dann moanan alle dass ma wissen was ma toan / und sagn ma denen die was moanen mir solln anders toan / i tua so wie i will und des geht di gar nix an" ("Let's pretend we know what we're doing / because then, everyone thinks we know what we are doing / and let's tell those who think we should do differently / I'll do as I want and it's none of your business.")

Hubert von Goisern - Iwasig

WOM Journal 9th October 2002 | Text: Stefan Krulle

Hubert von Goisern always looks as though you should not ask him difficult questions because you do not know if the heart is involved. Like a man who can still cry when it is right. Sometimes, rubbish, quite often in recent years Hubert has nevertheless made music which one does not at all connect with sensitive spirits. Always when he had mixed folk with punk and rock and pop, at the end both sides sat in a mild mood on the beer garden bench.

Now Hubert has obviously become fed up with all the nonsense and recorded an album which, according to his sphere, he has long wished for. Which is why the funk extract now keeps in the valleys of Austria and, quite differently what from not just a few expected, seems not at all like a foreign body there. Von Goisern must possibly go into himself solely for his normally always loudly cheered concerts - or simply remain brave. When he recently presented the musical course correction at the 20th birthday of his record company in front of 10,000 Peter Gabriel fans, some people missed the old folklorist.

But which was naturally arrogant or at least ignorant. There is scarcely a greater album to buy from Hubert von Goisern and nobody should say that he has a thing with surprises everywhere but not count on Hubert's records. Buy the back catalogue, listen. You would not only have been able to know, but should have known.

Well done, Hubert!

Egypt-Africa-Alps-Views

Concerto 05/02 | Text: Manfred Ergott

After extensive journeys with celebrated concerts in Egypt, Senegal and Burkina Faso the go-getting musician surprised with the new album Iwasig, which shows a Hubert von Goisern in lavish stylistic variety.

The return of Hubert von Goisern to the native concert stages about two years ago and his two albums Fön (2000) and Trad (2001) - all that could have been a part of an cleverly thought-out marketing plan, so perfect was the timing. First of all an ingenious pop CD, then the carefully chosen traditional songs of his homeland - that roused countless listeners and brought positive reviews at home and abroad.

What will Hubert now bring next? - Many people have asked this question. With the new CD Iwasig, he cleverly pulls himself out of the dilemma of expectations, which the representatives of various musical camps, who continually observe his activity with a critical eye, put him in. Neither pop nor folk music dominates this new production. Rather it is a successful conglomeration of different style directions, a multicultural experience, in order to use this strained term again, which can absolutely look for its comparison with the international releases of so-called world music stars.

Distance. When Hubert von Goisern lets elements of African or Asiatic cultures flow into his music, then this does not happen superficial, clumsy ways and means. This may be down to the fact that he has searched for and found intensive meetings in his countless journeys and then, back in his alpine homeland, has gradually processed them. So it also happened in spring 2002, where he flew to the Land of the Pharaohs together with his newly formed band to meet the Egyptian pop star Mohamed Mounir there. In Assiut of all places, a city which was regarded as the stronghold of Fundamentalism for a long time, with about 60,000 students simultaneously represented a place of meeting, the two should give a joint concert. It was an enormous spectacle, at which 15,000 people stormed in the area in front of the stage. But for Hubert von Goisern it was also a meeting with kindred spirits, which he recognised in Mounir at the joint "warming up" in the hotel room.

Hubert Achleitner's affinity to African culture was already to be heard on his CD Gombe, released in 1998. It also pulled him to the black continent again in 2002 - the Cape Verde capital Praia, Dakar and Burkina Faso were there destinations. Among others, he met Tété Alhinho from the group Simentera and Youssou N'Dour as well as the Senegalese musician Fallou Dieng. Appearances in the Praia football stadium, in the legendary Sorano Theatre in Dakar, but also in the slums of this music metropolis provided impressions which lastingly shaped all musicians taking part .

Nearness. And so it is really not very surprising that Iwasig splashes out of the speakers so richly varied. Superficially viewed, the style mixture of funk, soul, jazz, blues, reggae, rock and folk music is responsible for it. And when Hubert von Goisern quotes a stylistic device, then proper. When, for example, funk is announced, then it really grooves properly. Responsible for this on this production are not least the keyboarder Burkhard Frauenlob and bass player Antonio Porto, but the rhythmists Wolfgang Maier, Bernhard Wimmer (drums) and Bernd Bechtloff (percussion) also contribute their part. And old friend from the Alpinkatzen time is Reinhard Stranzinger, who besides Gerhard Überbacher takes responsibility for the guitar tracks. In Marlene Schuen, Hubert von Goisern has found a singer who optimally compliments his individual vocal acrobatics. As co-producer, Wolfgang Spannberger has now and then contributed expressive samples and loops which very discreetly refine the sound picture.

And when it becomes somewhat quieter in the meantime, then Hubert von Goisern leads his feeling for the right blues notes perfectly - and then he also takes hold of the flugelhorn or goes up the track with the blues in the yodel.

Iwasig is the first CD of Hubert von Goisern's with which the individual tracks were "tested" live before they proceeded into the studio. And on top of that, in a completely new environment with the concert tour in Egypt and West Africa. Perhaps it is also the deciding factor for the fact that you can confidently describe this album as showing the way forward.

Hubert von Goisern "iwasig"

Folkworld Nr. 23 | Text: Walkin'T :-)M

Iwasig, even my German-Austrian dictionary fails there, means something like above, over in the Dachstein area. Does Hubert von Goisern now stand above things? On the contrary, he is firmly rooted like never before. But these roots do not only lie in the native Salzkammergut, but everywhere in the world where music is passionately played. Iwasig continues the style and experiments of the predecessor Fön. Meanwhile Hubert has squeezed in the traditional album Trad and a tour through the Orient. The Austrian has long since developed from a folk musician to a world musician. The new compositions are mischievously flirtatious: Steh auf, kimm her und verkauf mir dei Seel. Hey, was kann dir schon passiern, ausser dass a wenig schwitzt, dass d' mit uns singst. Laß di eini jodlei jodlou toan ma miteinander (Stand up, come here and sell me your soul. Hey, what can happen to you, except that you sweat a little, when you sing with us. Let yourself do a jodlei jodlou, we'll do it together). Thoughtful: Wie oft muaß die Sun aufgehn, bis ma verstehn, bis ma verstehn, oder muaß erst untergehn? (How often must the sun rise, until I understand, until I understand, or must it first go down?). Critical: Jeden Tag wird wer verraten und mir schaun beim Kreuzigen zu. Aber jeder Heilige is gfährlich, wann schon oana moant er kann mit Beten uns vor de Deppen retten (Every day somebody will be betrayed and we watch the crucifixion. But each holy person is dangerous, when one says that he can rescue us from the idiots with prayers). Hubert himself feels that the journey has first begun: Wo kimmt des her, wo geht des hin? (Where has it come from, where is it going?). What he says about the Egyptian singer Mohamed Mounir is not least relevant to himself: "he confesses to his regional roots, but is international in his conversion". In November a small club tour, also in north Germany, to check.

Successful return

Tip der Woche 30th September 2002 | Text: jz

Hubert von Goisern is back again. Actually he never really vanished, his journeys to Tibet and Africa have influenced his music style, but not let him sink into an oblivion. After the brilliant and successful Alpinkatzen time the Austrian proceeded on tour this summer. Those who were there already know one or other song from his new album Iwasig. "Iwasig" means something like "over" or "above". Among the best tracks on the album is Poika, which was released as a single in the summer. At least as enjoyable is Aus is with catchy yodel passages. The influences of Hubert von Goisern's journey to the Black Continent are noticeable in the song Afrika. He is successful, like barely anyone else, in harmoniously combining two such different folk music styles. His style has also slightly changes. Hubert von Goisern remains true to one thing. He searches again for boundaries, tries to break them down and make a harmony. The "HvG" fan cannot miss Iwasig, also or perhaps exactly because his style of music has developed. The album was mixed in Austria during the flood of the century.

Hubert von Goisern - Iwasig

www.viva.de | Text: Milena G. Klipingat

The recently mutated from alpine rocker to world musician Hubert von Goisern presents rocky-energetic and at the same time melancholic on his new album Iwasig. Barely any of the twelve titles like the other. No, the "Goiserer" has not let himself be tied down for a long time. Also this time he offers a broad bandwidth of musical stiles. And answers the questions: what is important, and what is right?

The opener Heilige brings the thoughtful-rocky approach in the musical thoughts from Hubert von Goisern, who belongs to the globetrotters of music with his band. The title Afrika is inspired by the rhythms of the Black Continent, where von Goisern recently had unforgettable concert experiences and meetings. Naturally there is something like its expression in a new album. Reminiscences of the spiritual and gospel are to be heard with I bi an. It goes on very relaxed with the radio play-like title Nix tuan. Poika is instead a rousing number, which has already proved its worth in the live programme. This time Hubert von Goisern has seized his characteristic accordion less often. Pure instrumental he only presents with Volxjammer, with the accordion, and on Dunkelblau, with horn. There is guitar, harp or mandolin and naturally singing which the musician has wound himself to on Iwasig. After the conceptual works Fön and Trad, the new album is rather a multicoloured pot pourri of different ideas. The earlier rebel of folk music offers different atmospheres on Iwasig with difficult to understand lyrics. But if "iwasig" will be in the mouths of Goisern fans, the speaker should the put the emphasis on the first "i". It comes from "über-sig, drüber, oberhalb" according to von Goisern's instructions for the use of his album title ...

Hubert von Goisern - Iwasig

Dolomiten-Magazin 28th September 2002

Hubert von Goisern has already gone down in history as the forerunner and pioneer in all things new folk music. That in the meantime he must fit into the area of world music, he emphasised with the last albums Fön and also Trad.

The new album, which was released last week, seems to somehow unite Hubert von Goisern's two souls. The singer has christened his new album Iwasig and the title also says it: the new songs come along high-spirited, with almost somersaulting freshness. The album is more rhythmic than its predecessor and more alpine music is there again. A new positive energy is also clearly audible, which could come once from the live activity of the "boss" or from the many new and young musicians. Influences from his last experiences, for instance in Africa, are also naturally not missing. Yes, there are twelve wonderful songs to be heard, the first almost rebelliously fresh, funky and rocky, the last rather relaxed, sensitive, jazzy and balladic.

Hubert von Goisern - Iwasig

www.sound.de 23rd September 2002 | Text: Rainer Molz

He is on course again without the Alpinkatzen - Hubert von Goisern. After a long tour Egypt and West Africa on daring trails through musical new territory, with Iwasig HvG now presents how it could be different, musically developed. It is certainly audible that the countless sounds from distant lands have made quite an impression on Hubert von Goisern. At times with oriental tendencies, at times Latin - however Goisern's striking dialect floats above everything.

"Above" - so the current CD could also be read when you translate "Iwasig", however it has nothing from above - standing or something. Apart from the fact that you leave out diverse clichés, above which you may naturally stand. Iwasig is a trip through the world of music, the different styles and cultures. A dialogue between the native colloquial language of Hubert von Goisern and worldly music forms. Percussion, several voices singing, balaphone sounds and much more. A breeze from the South blows through the room. You let yourself drop, think and quietly lay down. But Hubert can also do wild. With his Styrian at times bluesy Volxjammer, at times polka-like Poika. Iwasig - heard again and again with pleasure. Sophisticated, moving lyrics and many - sometimes usual, sometimes unusual - great melodies.

Hubert von Goisern - Iwasig

www.bold.de 23rd September 2002 | Text: Jörg Fischer

His fans will already know most of the songs on Hubert von Goisern's new CD: he already tested the pieces during this year's tour - and was extensively celebrated for them. No wonder: the Austrian singer and his excellent band again mix rock, funk and soul with ethno-pop. It is no surprise that style quotations from Africa stand in the foreground: a few months ago von Goisern appeared together with the Egyptian Mohamed Mounir in Upper Egyptian Assiut - about 15,000 people were out of their minds with excitement.

Iwasig: Goisern's inner voice

Kurier 19th September 2002

The album: It is called Iwasig (over - meaning the "inner voice"). Gripping ethno rock is offered, the influences reach from Bad Goisern to Egypt. The artist: Long since grown up from the Hiatamadl, Hubert Achleitner is one of the most important pop artists in the country.

Hubert von Goisern: Iwasig

Kurier 15th September 2002

(Folk-World Music) **** And again a new album from Hubert von Goisern. This time he brings together everything which interests him: folk music, pop, rock, reggae, world music. Impressive, how creativity there is in this artist. A strong record, which in parts is very reminiscent of the Alpinkatzen, but knows no frontiers.

Iwasig

www.laut.de 20th September 2002 | Text: Joachim Gauger

Hubert von Goisern made a fresh journey through half of Africa in the first half of 2002 in a new way to being a musical cosmopolitan. For there are fewer direct influences of African music which become noticeable on Iwasig, but rather a distinct swing from minor to major: the Austrian lets that be and gives the cheerful nature. Fön was still a reaction to the governmental involvement of the Haider party and therefore from rather a gloomy atmosphere, the current album Iwasig impresses with its unconcerned ways, plenty of rocky energy and many contrasts. Slide, rhythm and solo guitar in Aus is form an imagined frame with keyboard areas and choirs, while a striking, heavily driving bass and von Goisern's yodel madness fight over the rhythmic supremacy.

Further high points are Poika, which really earns its name, and Volxjammer, which extensively features the accordion-player Goisern. A great fun is Nix Tuan, less successful I Bin An. When an Austrian dabbles in speech song, while in the background there is gospel and soul, the listener rather seizes the horrors: here the otherwise exciting mixture between provincialism and cosmopolitanism for once does not work.

Hubert von Goisern - iwasig

www.bloom.de 16th September 2002 | Text: Kai Schmidt

With each of his albums, Hubert von Goisern seems to always show us a slightly modified side of himself. In 2000 it was the playing around with different directions of style on Fön, then last year Trad with the resurrection of folk song legends and now there is new album again. Iwasig clearly builds on his old style from the foundation of traditional alpine music. In the foreground clearly stands, as always, the self-played accordion or guitar, in addition to drums, electric guitars, bass and keyboard. So arise often rocky or poppy songs.

But there are also pieces in which world music influences are processed again. So he has certainly built one or other impression from his adventure in the Black Continent into the piece Afrika. Soft influences let themselves be recognised quite clearly in the arrangement of this piece anyway. A true chaos of noise, a speech song and an answerphone voice surprise in the very unusual song Nix tuan. And each of the other in total twelve pieces has their own little or large peculiarity somewhere: be it a horn or a ukulele, which Hubert von Goisern naturally also plays himself. The whole thing is in any case so varied and whoever likes their music in general will certainly acoustically devour this album.

The Goiserer's extremely complex album

Pop-Info 17th September 2002

After his comeback in 2000 with Fön, the traditional Trad and an extremely long and exceedingly successful tour, with gigantic success in Germany including Berlin, he presents his new masterpiece. It has turned out to be an extremely bright album. He mixes new folk music with pop, rock, funk, world music and many more, with which the accordion is more seldom heard than is given the impression on the cover. Music and lyrics have come almost exclusively from his own pen. In places the ghost of the Alpinkatzen time is to be heard, especially with the loud titles of the first half. And see there, with more precise studying, with some titles you notice the names Wolfgang Maier and Reinhard Stranzinger, his old companions. It is great that he now finds a connecting point to this wonderful time again. The excellent art work comes once more from Atelier Michilangelo from Gmunden. An absolutely compulsory album for every music lover.

What the inner voice says

Abendzeitung 14th/15th September 2002 | Text: Arno Frank Eser | Photo: Monika Löff

Iwasig, the new album from Hubert von Goisern

Hubert von Goisern - iwasigHe always seeks out far-off shores, to Tibet and to Africa and yet Hubert Achleitner is and remains a child of the mountains, quite simply Hubert von Goisern. With Iwasig, his new album (Virgin 07243 813376 2 2), the one time folk musician shows that he has long matured into a world musician. But that he nevertheless remains true to his roots like no other. The man from the Austrian Bad Goisern sets new standards. Again.

It starts really funky, the new work, groovy and dancy, somehow American and somehow not. Actually international. Barely tangible and on the other side normal critic clichés will carry the listener off into a new world, namely the world of international understanding.

Nobody asks about genres any more or even nationalities; and bongos suit the diatonic as well as spaghetti-sugo suits dumplings. You only have to try it, dare to do it, new gates open up.

Hubert von Goisern dares. On behalf of so many who want to play a little with ethno elements because it sounds beautifully exotic, but whose senses are out of practice.

Quite above such things

Iwasig, the emphasis is on the first 'i' ("eeva-seeg"), means nothing more than "darüber" or "oberhalb" (over or above). Quite above old models, above habitual ways of thinking and hearing, just simply doing what the inner voice tells you.

Before it came to this record, the man from Goisern got the chance for multinational concert. The most important this year was in Cairo, together with the Egyptian Mohamed Mounir, organised by the Goethe Institute. Not a simple undertaking in these tense days between the Western and Islamic worlds, but it was a complete success.

"We have sown a seed," said Hubert von Goisern. And his colleague Mounir: "Playing music together is stronger than blood and war." 15,000 fans were there, when Austria and Egypt musically melted together, as the walls fell in their minds.

Hubert von Goisern: "I want to find friends, search for musical exchange and show what music we make." And: "Before Iwasig arose, I could test all the songs live. So this time we went the reverse way. To first present the songs live and then put them on the album."

So arose a dynamic mixture of power and thoughtfulness internationality and alpine roots. But the Hiatamadl fans of one time fall by the wayside. "What I did at that time seems so foreign to me now - I can scarcely put it into words."

Hubert von Goisern - Iwasig

Amazon 14th September | Text: Daniela Lochner

In Hubert von Goisern's dialect, "Iwasig" means "above" or "over". But what does he stand over? Perhaps over the clichés or the strict divisions of music styles. For after his extended tour through Egypt and West Africa, Hubert von Goisern entered musical new land again.

No CD is like the other: On Inexil he experimented with Tibetan sounds, completely returned to folk music roots with Trad and celebrated a successful journey into the subject of jazz with Fön. Now on Iwasig the African influences are hardly ignored. Polished percussion, balaphone sounds and much thicker, singing with more voices are reminiscent of music from Mali - but just in Goisern dialect. The success from the Africa tour confirms this successful symbiosis and has also furthered Goisern's bandwidth to the reminiscent of the Oriental and Latin rhythms. But with all the newness there is also familiar sound: Volxjammer, a wonderful bluesy piece on the Styrian, or the rousing Poika shows Goisern's best side: a CD to listen to again and again!