- Stefan Kozalla thinks outside of the box on this week's RA podcast.
- If you've been listening to techno in the past decade, the name of DJ Koze has most likely been inescapable. But it was 2008 that took him to an even higher level: Last year's "Let's Love"/"I Want to Sleep" single on International Records Recordings took the top spot on RA's year-end poll. The remix, however, has long been Kozalla's forte, with memorable readjustments of Heiko Voss, Sid Le Roc and Ben Watt all featuring on his recent Get Physical remix collection, entitled Reincarnations, but his DJing has been just as heralded. He'll be doing the latter at next month's Time Warp party in Mannheim amongst a line-up of techno's elite, but don't expect a set of the latest dance floor anthems. "I prefer it when the music becomes slower and sexier the longer the night gets," said Kozalla when speaking to RA's Eike Kühl late last year, and that's exactly what he's done on this week's RA podcast. We caught up with the man by e-mail to talk about the mix, record shopping and his new label.
What have you been working on recently?
I've just finished a remix for Blagger, a Danish duo on Ripperton's Perspectiv label, two remixes for Who Made Who for Gomma, a 12-inch for Circus Company which contains two new tracks called "Dr. Fuck" and "Mrs. Bojangels", and I'm launching my own label in the moment, which is called Pampa and will release Die Vögel as its first record. Also, I'm working on a remix for Audion today.
Who are Die Vögel?
Die Vögel are Mense Reents of Egoexpress, Die Goldenen Zitronen, Stella and my partner for Adolf Noise headphone concerts, and Jakobus Siebels from Ja König Ja. They are the reason that I founded my Pampa label at the moment. Die Vögel made three tracks that totally blew me away using only a bassdrum, a shaker and two tubas. It's dance music with the knowledge of techno music, made with real instruments. I plan to release these masterpieces in the summer. I think it will be heard all over later this year.
Where and how was the mix recorded?
On a dark Sunday in my studio in Hamburg, St Pauli.
Can you tell us a little about the mix?
Music for nonexistent dance floors? Not really! I think I wanted to do a mix like a good radio show. It's more to listen than to dance, but who's dancing to the internet?
Where do you buy your records in Hamburg?
At Smallville, which is the record shop of Lawrence and Julius Steinhoff. It's a small and cosy place with a superb collection of modern dance music, and only three minutes away from my studio. It's kind of a meeting point for the electronic scene in Hamburg—they are linked to the art scene as well. For example, Stefan Marx does most of the artwork for the Smallville label and flyers for Smallville parties, which are running monthly with international guests like Jus-Ed, Omar-S, Cassy and many others.
What was your first experience with techno music?
Acid house. When I was listening to Phuture the first time, it was like a big bang for me. At the time I used to listen to all the real British and American rap stuff, but this music was blowing me away, because it was hard and without any compromises. I got deeper into this, and a bit later I was exalted from Chicago house on the one hand and the British sound of Warp on the other hand.
What are you up to next?
Going to Japan in March.