In Session
In Session: Kölsch
Sublime, simmering house music from an artist at the peak of his career
It's safe to say that Kölsch is at the peak of his career.
Two years ago he released '1977', an album packed with sun-splashed house music designed specifically to make you feel amazing in the middle of a strobe-lit dancefloor in a club or among a crowd raving under the stars at a festival. It contained the driving, momentous 'Goldfisch', a single that epitomised his stye and struck a note with anyone who's ever taken ecstasy and danced all night long in the company of good friends.
Fast forward and he's just dropped '1983', a second album that builds on and fleshes out what he's all about. It arrives in time for summer and, for many, will provide a soundtrack to the good times that happen between sunset and sunrise during the months when the days are long and the nights oh so short. Its standout single is 'DerDieDas', a driving exercise in house that's tinged with fizzy electro.
Both long players come via Kompakt, the label that has nurtured the Dane's releases since 2010. He's been a fixture of the sterling Speicher 12" series and the albums that he's put out take that output to the next level.
Of course, when we say that Kölsch is hitting a peak, we're taking into account that he – real name Rune Reily Kölsch – has been releasing music for the best part of two decades under aliases such as Ink And Needle and Rune. In his mid thirties, he's lived a life in dance music and his current success reflects that.
As he gears up to take on the festival circuit, he's made a special In Session for us that reveals his love of dusky, simmering house music. Named the 'Beginning Of A Beginning', the mix is perfect for dusk or dawn, both times that usher in different kinds of beginning.
Tracklist below, prepare to be enchanted by this one.
'1983' is out now on Kompakt
1. Kölsch - 1983
2. Sebastien Mullaert - Ash Layla
3. Frank & Tony - Bring The Sun
4. Aaron Ahrends-Casiotone 401 (Dave DK Edit)
5. Matteo Spedicatti-Simple Things (Reboot remix)
6. Stephan Bodzin - Birth
7. Jurek Przezdziecki - Clissm (Sebastian Mullaert Version)
8. Dave DK - Whitehill
9. Kölsch - Moonface
10. Matthus Raman - Swimming with Birds (Jake Chambers remix)
11. MYR - Nobody Knows
12. Karim Sahraoui - Stella
13. Kölsch - Die Anderen
14. Kölsch ft Waa industry - Papageno-30 years later mix
15. Niels Frahm - Says (Kölsch fanboy remix)
