Working together as divr, the trio of pianist Philipp Eden, bassist Raphael Walser, and drummer Jonas Ruther forge extended, meditative journeys from lilting beats and mesmerizing melodic tendrils. Most of the group’s material is improvised in real time with an almost ritualistic devotion. The musicians freely pursue their own contemplative gambits, but thanks to deeply intuitive connections formed over time the music glows with a unified sense of purpose and collective rigor. Sometimes lines create exquisite tension, sometimes they lock into deeply organic arcing shapes—disparate rhythmic schemes coalesce and pull apart, whether summoning hypnotic loops, ambient splendor, or chill downtempo electronica. With divr notions of genre evaporate and time becomes elastic, bound by a shared vision.
press
Although this is indeed a jazz record, the original compositions and choices of covers extends beyond into trip-hop and the downbeat breaks territory of artists like Ju$ufa and J Dilla.
– Monolith Cocktail
divr’s music heads in a direction of its own, using conversational improvisation as a means for sketching instant composition and infectious grooves. It feels that divr has established its sound and dynamics – spontaneous, organic and bold simultaneously. The trio focuses on an exploration of sonic interdependencies and differences, framed by the practice of deep listening.
Salt Peanuts
Ist es also eher Jazz oder Avantgarde? Ist es ein Vogel oder ein Fisch? Ich weiß es nicht, aber es schwimmt und fliegt, gibt uns Melodien und sprengt alles im Handumdrehen in Stücke. Es muss also divr sein.
DESIBELI - Mika Roth
You won’t find a stronger enchantment than Is This Water.
Best Jazz on Band Camp, February 24
This is water conclusive proves the piano trio format is far from wrung dry
MOJO, April 24
It’s absurd how good Swiss trio divr is at playing this music.
Down Beat Magazine
It makes for a thrilling highlight of a charming jazz album that is both easy to listen to and intricate, yet never, ever garish.
The Quietus
Zusammen bilden die Elemente einen Sound, der sich persönlich, organisch und gleichzeitig zukunftsweisend anfühlt.
Madmimi
Die Dringlichkeit erinnert an die Frühen The Bad Plus.
Jazz Thing, April 24
Their take on improvised music includes a pop sensibility that covers a lot of ground connecting jazz with electronic rhythmology.
The Free Jazz Collective
Is This Water, with all its mystery, evidences the arrival of a compelling new piano trio on the 21st century jazz scene.
ALL Music
Lao Tzu saying tells us, "Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it" and you'll feel no resistance to the divr sound.
You and the night and the music
Oh, the wind will come, und vielleicht wehts dann die Musik von divr rein, diesem Trio mit Philipp Eden am Klavier, Raphael Walser am Bass und Jonas Ruther am Schlagzeug, das offene und sehr neugierige und auch sehr zarte Miniaturen spielt. Und eben: Broadcasts «Echo's Answer» – und viele Nebel sind weg.
Benedikt Sartorius - Listen Up
Musik als organische Skulptur verste- hen, die sich von allen Seiten abwechselnd von innen wie von aussen betrachten, respektive er- hören lässt?
divr tun genau dies mit ihrer Musik.
Jazz n’ more, April 24
‘Is this Water’ from divr feels unique, in a way that we’re listening to a band heading into a direction of their own, speaking a new musical language that’s been crafted by three individuals (four with Nicholls) who have found a togetherness out of improvising together.