DJ Koze releases new single featuring Sophia Kennedy

DJ Koze has just released his first single of 2023. ‘Wespennest’ (German for ‘wasps nest’) features supporting vocals from American-born, German musician Sophia Kennedy.

It was written and produced during a secluded stay in a Benedictine monastery on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The track's arrangement mirrors this zen-like environment, with Kennedy’s buttery vocals layered over Koze’s production to create a track that fuses club music and electronica with elements of psychedelia.

Read this next: DJ Koze: The magic loop

A three-track EP of the same name is set to be released by his own imprint Pampa Records on July 28, including B-side cut 'Candidasa' and a edit of the title-track.

It marks his first self-release since his 2018 album 'Knock Knock', which featured global club smash hit single ‘Pick Up’, containing a sample of Gladys Knight & The Pips popular single about two parting lovers ‘Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)’.

An EP of 'Knock Knock' remixes also arrived via Pampa last year, while a new Koze album is slated to arrive in 2024.

Koze’s imprint focuses on releasing music that is “seriously danceable without recourse to the tried and tested ingredients” according to the website.

The label has seen releases from the likes of Axel Boman, Nathan Fake and fellow label owner and electronic music heavyweight Soulphiction.

Read this next: "It's ecstatic": DJ Koze, Lakou Mizik & Joseph Ray on the power of Haitian Vodou music

Sophia Kennedy’s unique and enticing use of her vocal and lyrical talents (a reflection of her background as a composer) landed her the 2017 debut album the title of first "songwriting record" to feature on DJ Koze’s label, which cleverly oscillated through genres ranging from doo-wop to dubstep.

Listen to ‘Wespennest’ below and pre-order the EP here.

Tiffany Ibe is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Instagram