He became known as part of the massive pop hip-hop glut that conquered the German music scene at the end of the last millennium: as part of the fun group Fischmob, and later as a member of the electro duo International Pony, Stefan Kozalla aka DJ Koze sharpened his profile early on as an artistic free spirit whose unbridled creativity is always accompanied by humor. Today, he can look back on a long career as one of Germany's most respected DJs worldwide, an endless list of high-profile collaborations with artists such as Sophia Kennedy, José Gonzalez, Caribou, Róisín Murphy and countless others, his own label and a considerable stack of great albums under his name, including his biggest commercial success, the last, great album Knock Knock. His new album Music Can Hear Us, an eclectic ride through genres as only Koze can afford to mix, features prominent guest musicians such as Damon Albarn, Ada and The Notwist.
Back in February of this year, the Kreuzberg native Albertine Sarges, who will already be familiar to attentive popcast listeners, released her second album, once again on the London-based Moshi Moshi label. Fortunately, she has also retained her flair for clever pop anthems, which she had already demonstrated on her debut, the good-humored The Sticky Fingers. The concise, whimsical everyday and love stories on Girl Missing, realized in a disciplined and highly competent fashion over the course of 13 beautiful mid-tempo songs, paint dreamy pictures of complex relationships and big feelings. She never loses her humor and lightness of touch; in Albertine Sarge's world, optimism is a weapon and it makes her immortal.
Zement, an experimental duo from tranquil Nuremberg, Germany, meditate in endless sleeps on building materials, the highway, and movement. Even on their latest album, Passages, their expansive psychedelic excursions are firmly anchored in the tradition of Krautrock, but they go their own way with impressive self-confidence. Heavy drones, glassy synths, distorted guitars and even an echoing saxophone find their way into the rapturous compositions, almost all of which exceed the five-minute mark. Through all these musical detours, it becomes clear that the two are more interested in the journey than the destination, and it is a great pleasure to accompany them on this journey.
The spoken words of Australian-born Berliner Eilis Frawley linger long after you've heard them. The classically trained drummer and percussionist's sparse songs revolve around social structures, feminism, inclusivity and mental health. Even in her day job as a drummer for artists like Anika or Laura Lee, or as the founder of the inclusive Berlin festival Bang On, she stays away from the mainstream, just like on her recently released debut album Fall Forward. Her spoken lyrics are serious and pointed, and the songs, also produced by Australian musician Kat Frankie (Bodies), are orchestrated with a fascinating mixture of powerful drums and various synthesizers. Her arrangements remain sparse and efficient, almost like a modernized version of British poet Anne Clark, each note is at the service of the vocals, always remaining very much present in the mix.
Let’s talk about Star Wars, Episode four
But let’s not talk about the war.
Chris Imler, "Let’s not talk about the war"
Most people know him as the drummer in projects like the famous Die Türen, Peaches or Oum Shatt. But he has also been active as a solo artist for a long time. We are talking about the grand signeur of the Berlin music scene, the proverbial beat poet Chris Imler. His slow rise has run parallel to the crash of the rest of the world, as fellow musician Jens Friebe notes in the witty press release for Chris Imler's new album The Internet Will Break My Heart. This also sets the tone for the prevailing mood in the sound of the apocalyptic electro dandy. Sometimes in German, sometimes in English, as if from the gallery of a Kreuzberg bar, Imler proclaims dark observations from a broken world, a prophet of contented hopelessness, of getting by. Or to put it in his own words: "I don't care, I like the ride".
