Copenhagen native Kölsch has some formidable notches on his career—he’s collaborated and shared stages with greats like Coldplay, Imogen Heap, Tiga and Sasha, to name just a few—but it’s this next phase that has him most fired up.
The beloved house and techno DJ/producer has just released his new project, KINEMA—a huge double album that sees him push himself as a songwriter as well as a producer. Having debuted his new set-up at this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), his next stop is KOKO London, on November 14, where the live show will reimagine the Danish artist’s sound “through the raw, analog beauty of modular synthesizers.”
Taking to Instagram to announce the new set-up, Kölsch said: “For the first time ever, I’ll be bringing key …
Copenhagen native Kölsch has some formidable notches on his career—he’s collaborated and shared stages with greats like Coldplay, Imogen Heap, Tiga and Sasha, to name just a few—but it’s this next phase that has him most fired up.
The beloved house and techno DJ/producer has just released his new project, KINEMA—a huge double album that sees him push himself as a songwriter as well as a producer. Having debuted his new set-up at this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), his next stop is KOKO London, on November 14, where the live show will reimagine the Danish artist’s sound “through the raw, analog beauty of modular synthesizers.”
Taking to Instagram to announce the new set-up, Kölsch said: “For the first time ever, I’ll be bringing key parts of my personal studio setup on stage. This is more than a performance—it’s a deep, intimate journey into the way I create music, blending live improvisation with the melodic techno that has shaped my identity. Every sound you’ll hear is drawn from my own catalog, but nothing will play out the same way twice. With modular systems at the core, I’ll be reshaping familiar tracks in real time—sculpting and bending them into something new, alive, and unpredictable.”
To celebrate this new chapter, we asked Kölsch to make us a mix for Complex Sessions, and got to find out some more about the new album and his new approach to live music. Dive in below.
Tell us a bit about your selections in this mix.
I’ve been wanting to capture the mood of my new album, KINEMA, and some of the music I’ve been working on lately… Trying to broaden my inspiration and add some hidden gems and demos as well.
What was the one track you absolutely had to include?
The last song is a demo from my upcoming Score to a film. It’s called Synthetic and directed by the amazing Oliver Ridge. I’m beyond thrilled to create a soundtrack, as it’s a new challenge for myself. I’ve been wanting to write music for films all my life, so it’s the perfect moment.
Any tracks that narrowly missed the cut?
So many. I’m currently finishing the second half of my double album. It will be called KINEMA II. I really wanted to add some of the music from that, but had to keep focus on this.
What’s the first single or album you ever bought?
The first album I bought was* Paris Texas* by Ry Cooder. It was a present for my dad, so it doesn’t really count [laughs]. The first album I actually bought for myself was LL Cool J’s Mama Said Knock You Out. I’ll never forget that 808 bass on a booming system! It blew me away.
What’s the last physical record you bought?
The last physical record I bought was the last Bon Iver album, Sable Fable. I’ve been listening to it on repeat. Come to think of it, the last 12” I bought was part of a collection of Metalheadz records that came with the Louis Vuitton Metalheadz record case I won at auction recently. I’ve been hunting for that case for years. I’m a huge drum and bass head.
What do you hope to see happen musically over the next 12 months?
I’m dreaming about a time where we can step away from this mono culture that has been dominating lately. Social media has enabled very strategic branding, and the electronic music agenda is currently controlled by image, not music. I hope focus will shift back to innovation and emotion; I want art to be rewarded and celebrated, not reduced to the background of a TikTok clip. For my own album, I decided it was time for me to embrace my songwriting. It’s something I’ve been working on for the last 15 years, but I never dared to embark on it. A good friend of mine encouraged me to not hold back and give everything, so this is it: no more holding back, and it feels really good.
For the Kölsch & The Machine live show at KOKO in London, I’ve decided to bring a lot of my studio on the stage. I want a more creative space for myself, so I can improvise. We spent a lot of time finding the right form for “The Machine, and I’m super excited to show it to the world, and bring it to KOKO.
What trend or scene absolutely needs to die right now?
No more standing still on the dancefloor!
**Tracklisting:
1*. Kölsch - Nacht und träume*
**
2. Kölsch - Now Here, No Where
3. Kölsch - Remind you
4. Kölsch - Smile
5. Kölsch & Who Made Who - Heartless
6. Kölsch & Camelphat - Waste My Time
7. Kölsch - All Week
8. Kölsch & Neon Capital - KIDS UNDERCATT (Remix)
9. Kölsch - An Amazing
10. Kölsch - Set Me Free
11. Kölsch f/ Boon - Sad Makes Me Happy
12. Kölsch - Der Alte/Hell To The Liars
13. Kölsch f/ Troels Abrahamsen - All That Matters (Symphony Version)
14. Kölsch - Can’t Be Here More Than I Am