DJ Koze

DJ Koze

DJ Koze is the stage name of Stefan Kozalla, a German DJ and producer from Flensburg, Germany, born in 1972 and based in Hamburg and Cadaqués. He works in deep house, electronica, house, melodic house, melodic techno and microhouse, and is also associated with minimal techno, minimal and electronic music more broadly.

Career

Koze starts out in the hip-hop scene and becomes known in the 1990s as a member of the German hip-hop group Fischmob. Around the turn of the millennium, he forms the electronic pop group International Pony, which releases two albums on a major label.

As a solo artist, he releases Amygdala in 2013. The album features Caribou, Apparat, Rhye and Matthew Dear, and combines house, techno and pop elements. In 2018, he follows it with Knock Knock, which features Róisín Murphy, José González, Kurt Wagner and Sophia Kennedy. The single “Pick Up” comes from that album and becomes one of his best-known tracks. Knock Knock reaches the top 10 of the German Album Charts.

Remixes, label work and collaborations

Koze’s remixes are a significant part of his profile. His remix of Matthew Herbert’s “It’s Only” is named Resident Advisor’s track of the year in 2012. His remix of Moderat’s “Bad Kingdom” becomes especially widely known, and his remix of Låpsley’s “Operator” appears in 2016. He also produces Róisín Murphy’s album Hit Parade, which is released on Ninja Tune and becomes Murphy’s highest-charting album in the UK, while also charting highly in Germany, Belgium, Ireland and Switzerland.

He runs Pampa Records, a label that releases work by underground artists.

Later releases

Koze issues the Wespennest EP in 2023, his first solo release since “Pick Up”. He also releases the album Music Can Hear Us, which enters the German album chart at number 4 and receives strong critical attention. The album gains end-of-year placements from publications and radio stations including Süddeutsche Zeitung, Byte.FM, BR2 Zündfunk, Tonspion, radioeins and Rolling Stone Germany.