Kölsch has never been an artist content with staying in one lane. From his introspective albums on Kompakt to career-defining moments like playing a Cercle set at the Eiffel Tower, he’s built a reputation on constant reinvention. His productions—tracks like Grey, Loreley, and Goldfisch—have become touchstones in modern electronic music, balancing emotional pull with dancefloor precision.
Now, with his upcoming album KINEMA and the launch of Kölsch and the Machine, he is stepping into a new phase. The project takes him off the decks and into a live analog performance, reconstructing his catalog in real time with modular systems pulled straight from his Copenhagen studio. It’s a move that strips his music back to its roots, bringing fans closer to the raw creative process while pushing him into unexplored territory.
The show is set to reach key cities, including London’s KOKO on November 14, where audiences will experience classics reborn alongside new material from KINEMA. Beyond the studio and stage, Kölsch continues to live with the same curiosity that defines his music—immersing himself in horology, exploring Michelin-level cuisine, and finding fresh ways to connect art and life. What follows is a closer look into the mindset behind this new chapter, and the inspirations shaping where he goes next.
Interview with Kölsch
Q: What does it feel like when you come across a track and know it’s going to be part of your set?
A: It’s a very primal and instinctive feeling. It’s always something that I would dance to. As soon as I hear a new record that I like, it touches me immediately. It’s similar to an electric current, something that switches on in the back of my mind.
Q: Is it usually a sound, a mood, or something more personal that makes you feel that spark?
A: It’s not even that clever. Never an intellectual thing as such. It’s only “Can I feel it?” No more.
Q: Have you ever bought music that you loved in the moment, only to realize it doesn’t stack up with the vibe of the rest of your library? What do you do in those moments?
A: It has happened so many times. Something that initially excites me then doesn’t fit musically with the rest of my sets. Sometimes I persevere and play it anyway. Other times I put it aside for special sets, where it will fit. Sometimes it’s not even a musical dilemma, but it could be the arrangement or even sonically. Especially big festival stages need a particular level of energy from tracks, and you never know before you hear it loud enough.
Q: Do you think every DJ has a kind of “inner compass” that helps filter what’s right for them?
A: It’s a mix of experience, taste, and willpower. “Inner compass” is close to taste, I guess, but the best DJs I’ve ever heard are willing to take chances at key moments in their set. I think that’s the difference between a good DJ and a genius. Dropping a disco record or something totally off-genre can be a total disaster, or the moment of the night. It just takes the right artist to do that.
Q: Are there tracks you’ve passed on at first, only to come back to months later with a new perspective?
A: Again, it has happened so many times. After hearing a track in the right moment, it can change everything. There are so many times where I’ve had to admit I was wrong in my initial judgement. I actually love being wrong about things like that. It’s never too late to learn.
Q: What’s one track that immediately felt like yours — and still hasn’t left your rotation?
A: Lately it would be Ame Asa. That track just resonates with me, and I cannot stop playing it.
Q: Do you ever think about why those tracks resonate with you so strongly?
A: I’m sure there is a psychological reasoning behind it. It probably stems from my childhood. I have a deep obsession with organ sounds because my Auntie had a cheap organ I played on a lot. I try not to over-analyse it too much, as I don’t want to explain everything. It’s important to leave some questions open in life.
Q: This new album and tour must feel like a fresh chapter. What inspired the sound and story you’re bringing to your sets this time?
A: I decided it was time that I gave in to my secret ambitions of songwriting. I’ve been obsessed with it for so long, yet I did not dare to see it through, as I never felt what I wrote was good enough. Finally now I’ve written and composed songs and music that I feel are worthy of the listener. It was time to go all in, and create exactly what I wanted to listen to.
Q: What kind of direction do you hope this album and tour will take your listeners on, compared to the ones you’ve shared before?
A: It’s a combination of experimental inspirations and simplistic ideas. On the album, there is opera, symphony, shoegaze, and everything that inspires me right now. Whereas my other albums were conceptual as a whole, this album is more about the individual songs. They are all deeply personal and resonate around experiences of mine. An example is a song I wrote called Hands of Mine. The song reflects on the similarities between my father, who passed away, and me, how I see him in my mirror sometimes.
The post Kölsch on Songwriting, Experimentation, and His Upcoming Album KINEMA appeared first on Magnetic Magazine.