KÖLSCH | Behind The Decks

Written By Marco Bombaci

When I hear someone talk about melodic techno, I instantly think of the sounds of Danish born Producer - Kölsch. As a producer he has perfectly narrated his life into melodic soundscapes, and his three albums form an autobiographical trilogy of work. In this interview we talk about touring in Australia, life as a DJ and producer, and mental health awareness.

Come with us as we step Behind The Decks with Kölsch!

You are set to come back to Australia for Festival X in November, what excites you most about this tour?

I love coming to Australia. It seems over the years I’ve met so many amazing Aussie people that I’ve become close friends with. You have such a straight forward, relaxed way about you. There is a special magic that only exists only in Australia. Maybe its the Marmite, maybe its the sea; I don’t know, but I'm always drawn back.

When you are in Australia, what do you enjoy doing when you’re not performing?

I usually enjoy time off with family and friends; there is so much to see! I love going to the Beach, and eating my way through those killer Melbourne restaurants. Last year I spent some time in Byron Bay with friends, it was incredible!

Your albums (1977, 1983, 1989), form this autobiographical trilogy of work, what can we expect for future records and albums?

I'm in the midst of figuring that out. I'm currently working on my new album due out next year. After the release of 1989, my trilogy was done, so I'm thinking of new concepts. For the fabric release, I made all the tracks on flights, so that was an interesting idea. For future records, I would need to dig out my crystal ball. I can’t think that far ahead.

October in Australia is mental health awareness month, as a producer, you have narrated your life perfectly into these melodic, techno soundscapes. You have previously stated “music became my saviour” and you would find a soundtrack to your “grey life, and suddenly there was colour” – do you have anything to say to other people going through a hard time?

I'm so happy that there is more awareness on mental health, in general, these days. I’ve had my fair share of struggles, and at times, I still do. That being said, I consider myself lucky to have found a path; a way to work on my own issues. For someone going through a tough time, I'd say always to remember that tomorrow is another day. The pain never lasts forever. If someone close to you is struggling, my advice is to take control. It's not enough just to be there for someone. The “call me if you need me” isn’t enough. For someone going through tough times, reaching out can be an impossible task, so get involved! Go pick them up for a walk, cook for them, help with the basics, and just be around them. Is a small act of kindness, but it means so much.

When you’re travelling and on tour, what is one thing you cannot leave home without?

Shoes

What does your typical day look like when you’re not on tour?

When I'm home, I try to live a normal life; laundry, cooking, visit friends, maybe some studio time. It is important for me to decompress after touring. I need a contrast to the incredible life of a touring artist, otherwise it becomes to much.

How do you prepare yourself before performing in front of a crowd?

I usually figure out where to start my set. I'll have a few tracks that I want to play and maybe an end-er. 90% of the time it all goes out the window as soon as I'm in front of the crowd though! There is always a certain energy in the audience, and often I follow that; it's all very spontaneous. I believe my biggest responsibility is to move with the moods of the audience. That's really what djing is all about.

In your records, you like to experiment with orchestral and classical music composition, do you have an instrument/sound you favour?

All my albums have been very retrospective. All this time I’ve spent pondering over my childhood, I’ve realized that a lot of the sounds stem directly from a childhood memory. An example is that I love organ sounds, and my aunty had an organ that I played around on when I was a kid. That exact organ is in my studio right now! She was going to throw it out, and I couldn’t have that. I payed a guy to drive it from Germany to Denmark. I think it was more than what the thing is worth, but good memories are expensive.

When you were producing the extended remix of Coldplay’s ‘A sky full of stars’, where did you draw inspiration from?

It's bittersweet to think back on that remix; working on Tim's (Avicii) productions and all that has happened since then. 5 years is a long time ago. I remember wanting to change the overall mood of the song. It was a bit too jolly in the original, but the lyrics had such a double meaning to them. In the original, the song feels like an ode to someone, and in my version, they take on a new meaning. An ode to a memory, something that was, and can never be again. I love the idea of giving something a new context.

Can you describe the feeling you had when you received confirmation of your first BBC Radio 1 Essential mix?

Well, it was a milestone moment for me. I've been listening to the essential mixes since the mid-90s. I vividly remember listening to my essential mix airing. A friend of mine and I had stayed up late for hear it. We drank too much red wine and watched funny cat videos on youtube. It was a great moment!

To celebrate 20 years of Fabric London, you were given the opportunity to do a DJ mix. What did this mean to you?

Well, it ended up being a 10 track mini album instead, that’s how important it was too me. Fabric is a legendary club, and I'm fortunate enough to play there a couple of times a year. It's an institution in my opinion. It should be regarded on par with the Tates. Again we are talking milestone moments. Something that I'm immensely proud of.