“I’m completely in love with the mountains. I love to go snowboarding. There is something so special about the calmness and letting your eyes see from a mountain top. It’s amazing.”
– Rune Kolsch 2015
[Rewind 2015]
Kolsch
1983 Interview
With one of the most hotly-anticipated albums of 2015, Rune Kölsch is a name that is popping up on many DJs’ playlists this year. The Danish producer and performer, recognised solely by his surname, will be touching down in Australia in just a couple of days for a nationwide tour, including a set at Chinese Laundry in Sydney on 13th June. While he’s Down Under, his latest album, ‘1983’ will be released. With so much going on, we grabbed the opportunity to find out more about his music and his travels.
Hi Rune, how are you?
Very well, thank you.
Where in the world are you right now?
On a plane from Ibiza to Ireland where I am performing at the Life Festival.
‘Derdiedas’ is an absolutely stunning tune; have you been pleased with the reaction to it?
Absolutely. It seems a lot of my DJ colleagues play it all the time. That’s all I could hope for.
I love the inspiration behind ‘1983’, and you can really picture yourself cruising down a highway to your summer holiday. Did the writing and production come easily to you due to the strong memories of travelling as a child?
Writing and producing usually comes very easy to me. It’s all about capturing an emotion instantly. I usually make the key elements of a new track in about 20 minutes, so the feeling is still fresh. After that i can work on the details of the arrangements and instruments. As long as the initial moment is captured, it functions as a sketch.
Why did you choose these memories in your life to create an album?
They were very defining moments for me, and as an artist it is always intriguing to revisit those initial musical experiences I had. I think there is also a lot of therapy in there. I came from a very confusing family structure, and a lot of times the music would save me.
Where would you be travelling through? What things would you see along the way?
It would usually be from Denmark to the south of France. It became this spiritual journey from the cold winter to the summer. It was as if we were driving through the seasons. I would see anything from cities to the mountains. My preferred time was night driving with my dad. We would have some really great conversations.
Do you get to travel much now besides touring?
Not really, sadly. I used to take some months off every year, but it’s just not possible anymore
Where do you like to go on holiday now?
I’m completely in love with the mountains. I love to go snowboarding. There is something so special about the calmness and letting your eyes see from a mountain top. It’s amazing.
You’re touring a lot of over the next couple of months, including Europe and Australia; do you like to see much of the places you visit?
I never get to see anything sadly, it’s usually airport, hotel, club and back. I would love to see more.
You’ve got a few days between Gold Coast and Perth, is there anything you’d like to get up to while Down Under?
We have a few days on the Gold Coast. I’m sure well have a great time.
You finish your Australia tour at Sydney’s Chinese Laundry; what can ticket holders expect of your DJ set?
Romantic Techno and a lot of energy!
You’ve also got some festival dates including Creamfields, Exit and Awakenings; how do you change your set to fit a festival compared to a club?
Festivals usually demand a more simplified and energetic sound. I really like small clubs, where I can play with the dynamics of the room, more melodies and take more chances.
Kölsch 2015 Australia Tour Dates
Friday 5th June – Brown Alley, Melbourne
Saturday 6th June – The TBC Club, Brisbane
Sunday 7th June – Natutic Giants, Gold Coast (evening)
Sunday 7th June – Elsewhere, Gold Coast (night time)
Friday 12th June – Geisha Bar, Perth
Saturday 13th June – Chinese Laundry, Sydney
Necessity is the mother of reinvention, as they don’t say
From funky house chart smashes as Rune through anonymous techno 12-inches as Tattoorecs to his current incarnation, Rune Reilly Kölsch has never stood still for long amidst the ever-shifting electronic music landscape. Perhaps his eclecticism is not surprising, having been born in Copenhagen’s autonomous bohemian district Christianshavn to a German artist mother and an Irish singer-songwriter father. One thing’s for sure: his new direction has seen him enjoy a higher level of acclaim and fanaticism than ever before.
From funky house chart smashes as Rune through anonymous techno 12-inches as Tattoorecs to his current incarnation, Rune Reilly Kölsch has never stood still for long amidst the ever-shifting electronic music landscape. Perhaps his eclecticism is not surprising, having been born in Copenhagen’s autonomous bohemian district Christianshavn to a German artist mother and an Irish singer-songwriter father. One thing’s for sure: his new direction has seen him enjoy a higher level of acclaim and fanaticism than ever before.
His bold decision to bring melody, riffs and colour back to techno – in a time when the vogue has been leaning more towards the industrial and dubbed-out once again – has paid off in a big way. Ever the visionary, KOMPAKT’s Michael Mayer signed him for the first of several releases on his Speicher imprint back in 2010, culminating in his stunning debut album 1977 last year. With everyone from Seth Troxler to Axwell playing his unmistakable epics, his appeal is uniquely broad – combining the accessibility of strong melodies with the incisiveness of boundary-pushing techno. This positioning makes for a truly riveting Balance mix.
The dazzling arpeggios of Galaxy 2 Galaxy’s Journey Of The Dragons gently begin Kölsch’s journey into the atmospheric netherworlds of electronic music. “It changed my view on what electronic music could be completely, and it’s still as beautiful as when I heard it the first time 21 years ago” he gushes. This timeless intro segues effortlessly into the yearning vocals and hazy synth breaks of John Talabot’s remix of Pional’s It’s All Over; a heady blend of past and present. Danny Daze’s immense Freeze (Frozen Mix) takes things into a darker direction with its gurgling arpeggiated acid bassline and cutting, shimmering synths building up an immersive and hypnotic wall of sound.
The spitting percussion of Henrik Schwarz’s Lockstep unexpectedly gives way to the haunting pianos and unmistakable vocals of Radiohead’s Videotape; a moment of subdued introspection and a chance for the listener to catch their breath. “I’m over the moon that we managed to license it as it’s been a huge dream of mine to include it on my mix” he says. “It’s one of my all-time classics.” Respite is brief, as the techno machinations of Dhumen’s No More tee up the slow-building rush of Kölsch’s own exclusive new track Punchbuggy. “Drawing on influences from early years, as a contrast it only seemed fitting to bring something completely new to the table. This won’t be out until my next album drops, and is a throwback to my cosmic travels through Europe in the back seat of my parents car.”
The gigantic swirling stabs of Adrian Hour’s hard-grooving Chordgresion follow on from this gargantuan exclusive. Maceo Plex’s remix of Odd Parents takes the mix to a blissful high, before Stephan Hinz & Phillipp Ruhmhardt’s Panther teases with its grinding riffs morphing in and out of focus. Kölsch’s Papageno shows his production prowess at its mind-bending finest, with Kenny Larkin’s sublimely undulating Plankton providing a mellow stepping stone for Tale Of Us & Mano Le Tough’s gigantic Caribou remix to seep in gently.
We’re brought down back into deeper territories as we edge towards a rousing climax, Kölsch’s perfectly balanced remix of Coldplay’s A Sky Full Of Stars – another exclusive for this compilation – taking the band’s unbridled euphoria into a more subtle and considered place. “It was an honor to remix them, and an honor to include the result in the mix”. Joris Voorn’s wonderfully haunting remix of Audion and Kölsch’s collaborator of old Troels Abrahamsen’s Dem Howl rounds off the mix, graceful pads and soulful vocals making for a fittingly emotive ending.
“I’ve incorporated some of my favourite records of all time in this mix, and I’m so proud that we have been able to get all these beautiful pieces of music on to one disc” he beams. “It took me a while to find the perfect tracks for the mix, as I was looking for the perfect balance of very musical records with vocals, and the more energetic tracks. I’m very happy with the outcome. I tested out the mix a few times, and for me the best way to listen to it is while traveling. In the plane or car, it really makes sense.”
Kolsch Balance – Tracklist:
1. Galaxy 2 Galaxy – Journey Of The Dragons
2. Pional – It’s All Over (John Talabot’s Stripped Remix)
3. Danny Daze – Freeze (Frozen mix)
4. Patrice Bäumel – Mile High Gang
5. Henrik Schwarz – Lockstep
6. Minilogue – Endlessness
7. Radiohead – Videotape
8. Dhumen – No More
9. Kölsch – Punchbuggy *
10. Adrian Hour – Chordgresion
11. Odd Parents – Learn To Fly (Maceo Plex Flight Home Remix)
12. Stephan Hinz & Phillipp Ruhmhardt – Panther
13. Kölsch feat Waa Industry – Papageno
14. Kenny Larkin – Plankton
15. Caribou – Can’t Do Without You (Tale Of Us & Mano Le Tough Remix)
16. Karl Friedrich – Bodies
17. John Norman & Dantiez Saunderson – Stuck In My Mind (Soukervalli Remix)
18. Coldplay – A Sky Full Of Stars (Kölsch Remix) *
19. Audion feat. Troels Abrahamsen – Dem Howl (Joris Voorn Mix)
* Denotes exclusive track
Release Date:
AUSTRALIA – 28th November, 2014
UK/EUROPE/ASIA – 1st December, 2014
NORTH AMERICA – 9th December, 2014
Kolsch – Balance Series – Buy Here
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