Disc review: DJ Koze – « Music Can Hear Us »
On the forest release I ran on a few years ago, there were always a handful of men on the outskirts of the dance lounge who reminded DJ Koze’s revelation. Barrel -worn, to the years came and with foggy look there was a move of fine sadness over them. They were lonely and they were there for the music.
In the same way, dance music maker Stefan « Dj Koze » Kozalla has always stayed a little beside the party. Based in Hamburg instead of Berlin and with a brilliant music production that has been more sensitive to reflecting than particularly club compatible, not least the latest collaboration with pop star Róisín Murphy. The exception is his innovative magnificent « pick up » from his own album « Knock Knock », where two chords and one Gladys Knights Sampling have set dance floors on fire since it was released in 2018. Perhaps it is one of the very best house stays in the 21st century.
Such an extrovert Banger is missing from the sequel « Music can hear us », although warm euphoric house instruments such as « Buschtaxi » and « Aruna » try. Oddly enough, they are tucked away towards the end of the more than an hour long album. Koze would rather highlight the many collaborations of the album, not least the idol Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), but unfortunately memorable is not « Pure Love », other than that it reminds a bit of Manu Chao.
For Rolling Stone, the hard -to -interviewed Kozalla says that he likes African genres such as Amapiano and Afrobeats. The world look is heard on the album, which mixes languages and styles, and at the same time stays faithful to Koze’s peculiar idea of pop music. Beautiful meditation « The Universe in a nutshell » is built up by Ethiopian string instruments. Charmingly skewed « Umaoi » pulls against Japan.
Still, it’s hard to really get hold of him this time. As if all the years of work to be completed have given him a little tunnel vision. In a press release he calls the album « The most potent legal drug on the market ». Rather, the feeling that Koze has been walking well into the forest, away from the dance lung he would have to hold on to.
Best track: « The Universe in a nutshell », « Buschtaxi »
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Róisín Murphy and DJ Koze collaboration « Hit Parade » is acute contemporary
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