The alphabet according to DJ Koze
the-alphabet-according-to-dj-koze
April 23, 2013
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# The alphabet according to DJ Koze
**Born and raised in the northern German town of Flensburg, Stefan
Kozalla aka [DJ Koze][1]{: target="_blank"} has evolved over the past
two decades from enfant- to savant- to the avant-terrible of German
dance music. A runner up in the national DMC competition in 1991, he
first made waves with Hamburg-based Dada-hip hop collective Fischmob
before turning his focus towards minimal house and techno, releasing
numerous 12-inches and LPs on [Kompakt][2]{: target="_blank"}, Get
Physical and, most recently, [his own Pampa imprint][3]{:
target="_blank"}. Koze's trademark vocal tweaking has made him a much
sought after remixer, cutting and pitch-shifting everyone from Hildegard
Knef to [Caribou][4]{: target="_blank"}. Photo by **Hans Martin
Sewcz.**** **You can read more [ABCs][5]{: target="_blank"} here.**
**A as in AMYGDALA:**
Home of the sabre-toothed tiger. The angst aggregator. A built-in error
in our mind machine. Totally redundant, but mighty nonetheless.
**B as in BEER:**
Bitches brew. Real men drink young coconut juice.
**C as in CARIBOU:**
A kindred spirit. His music struck a chord in me that kept on
vibrating, and when I looked up, my desktop showed three mix versions of
his tunes... made by me.
**D as in DEEP HOUSE:**
The It.
**E as in ESTROGEN:**
I shall prefer Estragon.
**F as in FAILURE:**
There is no such thing. You just do what you can't.
**G as in GERMAN HIP HOP:**
"Sieg-sieg-siegiddy-heil." That's Mel Brooks, summing up "German" rap
in the title song of his remake of Ernst Lubitsch's *To Be or Not to
Be*. Of course, it isn't like that at all, but what do you care? Right,
thought so.
**H as in brain researcH:**
It teaches me about blind spots, the creation of reality, the illusion
of ego, and all that jazz.
I as in INNER SPACE:
I am very interested in psychogeography. Friends have mentioned that my
music implies travel through the inner landscapes of my mind. I tell
them that they don't understand my music at all. My amygdala is working
just fine---why do you ask?
**J as in JEW'S HARP:**
I lack any valid expertise in playing this instrument. Bear in mind
that I was the renowned maestro of another discipline of oral
pleasantries, though. See my track "Maulguss".
**K as in 20 years of KOMPAKT:**
There's no place like home. Then you reach puberty.
**L as in LAWRENCE:**
He ain't heavy, he's my brother.
**M as in MANTRA:**
The main ancestor of the sampled loop, obviously. The divine joy of
repetition. Was the sampler invented in India? I don't doubt it.
**N as in NOISE:**
... or as in Noise, Adolf. A twenty-first century schizoid man. The
bipolar prophet of a future that never arrives. Not my words. Uttered by
the other.
**O as in OM:**
You might argue that some of my music is the sound of the OM moment.
**P as in POLITICS in music:**
Everything is implicitly political, but explicit politics in music will
never ever be my business. Like, ever.
Q as in QUO VADIS, remix?
If I knew I would tell you. I really would. There must be an
opportunity to tailor a totally different, new dress.
**R as in REALNESS:**
I prefer kindness. Realness is generally unreliable. Each one of us
decides our own reality. In hip-hop many make the mistake of confusing
realness with honesty or authenticity. They also mistake this generally
for a good thing. Just imagine Mel Brooks' Hitler rap without the irony:
*"Don't be stupid, be a smarty / Come and join the Nazi party."* Know
what I mean?
S as in ST. PAULI, Hamburg:
We live in St. Georg, baby.
**T as in TELEPATHY:**
They call me the antenna of St. Georg.
**U as in UDON:**
After quitting music I will open an udon restaurant. The specialty will
be kos(h)i udon with ume plum.
**V as in VIOLENCE:**
Again, I prefer kindness. But go tell that to the sabre-toothed kitty
cat in my amygdala.
**W as in WACK RHYMES:**
As if the Stieber Twins never happened. *Deren Reime sind Schweine*.
\["Their rhymes are swines."\]
X as in XXX:
It means Kiss Kiss Kiss. Don't you people know anything?
**Y as in YOUNG COCONUT WATER:**
****The electrolyte enhancer to start the day after. Or any day.
**Z as in ZAPPA:**
Big influence in my early days but too stressful for me today. Did I
get old? ~
[DJ Koze's Amygdala][6]{: target="_blank"} is out now on
Pampa. This text appeared first in Electronic Beats Magazine N° 33 (Spring 2013). Read
the full issue on issuu.com.
[1]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/artist/dj-koze/
[2]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/tag/kompakt/
[3]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/tag/pampa/
[4]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/artist/caribou/
[5]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/tag/the-alphabet-according-to/
[6]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/2013/03/22/philip-sherburne-recommends-dj-kozes-amygdala/
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blueprint: article
title: 'The alphabet according to DJ Koze'
date: 2013-04-24T00:02:11+02:00
wp_id: '47822'
slug: the-alphabet-according-to-dj-koze
teaser_image: legacy/the-alphabet-according-to-dj-koze/DJ-Koze-Electronic_Beats_Magazine-Hans-Martin-Sewcz.jpg
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<p><b>Born and raised in the northern German town of Flensburg, Stefan Kozalla aka <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/artist/dj-koze/" target="_blank">DJ Koze</a> has evolved over the past two decades from enfant- to savant- to the avant-terrible of German dance music. A runner up in the national DMC competition in 1991, he first made waves with Hamburg-based Dada-hip hop collective Fischmob before turning his focus towards minimal house and techno, releasing numerous 12-inches and LPs on <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/tag/kompakt/" target="_blank">Kompakt</a>, Get Physical and, most recently, <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/tag/pampa/" target="_blank">his own Pampa imprint</a>. Koze’s trademark vocal tweaking has made him a much sought after remixer, cutting and pitch-shifting everyone from Hildegard Knef to <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/artist/caribou/" target="_blank">Caribou</a>. Photo by <b>Hans Martin Sewcz.</b></b> <strong>You can read more <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/tag/the-alphabet-according-to/" target="_blank">ABCs</a> here.</strong></p><p><strong>A as in AMYGDALA:</strong><br>
Home of the sabre-toothed tiger. The angst aggregator. A built-in error in our mind machine. Totally redundant, but mighty nonetheless.</p><p><strong>B as in BEER:</strong><br>
Bitches brew. Real men drink young coconut juice.</p><p><strong>C as in CARIBOU:</strong><br>
A kindred spirit. His music struck a chord in me that kept on vibrating, and when I looked up, my desktop showed three mix versions of his tunes… made by me.</p><p><strong>D as in DEEP HOUSE:</strong><br>
The It.</p><p><strong>E as in ESTROGEN:</strong><br>
I shall prefer Estragon.</p><p><strong>F as in FAILURE:</strong><br>
There is no such thing. You just do what you can’t.</p><p><strong>G as in GERMAN HIP HOP:</strong><br>
“Sieg-sieg-siegiddy-heil.” That’s Mel Brooks, summing up “German” rap in the title song of his remake of Ernst Lubitsch’s <i>To Be or Not to Be</i>. Of course, it isn’t like that at all, but what do you care? Right, thought so.</p><p><strong>H as in brain researcH:</strong><br>
It teaches me about blind spots, the creation of reality, the illusion of ego, and all that jazz.</p><p><strong>I as in INNER SPACE: </strong><br>
I am very interested in psychogeography. Friends have mentioned that my music implies travel through the inner landscapes of my mind. I tell them that they don’t understand my music at all. My amygdala is working just fine—why do you ask?</p><p><strong>J as in JEW’S HARP:</strong><br>
I lack any valid expertise in playing this instrument. Bear in mind that I was the renowned maestro of another discipline of oral pleasantries, though. See my track “Maulguss”.</p><p><strong>K as in 20 years of KOMPAKT:</strong><br>
There’s no place like home. Then you reach puberty.</p><p><strong>L as in LAWRENCE:</strong><br>
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.</p><p><strong>M as in MANTRA:</strong><br>
The main ancestor of the sampled loop, obviously. The divine joy of repetition. Was the sampler invented in India? I don’t doubt it.</p><p><strong>N as in NOISE:</strong><br>
… or as in Noise, Adolf. A twenty-first century schizoid man. The bipolar prophet of a future that never arrives. Not my words. Uttered by the other.</p><p><strong>O as in OM:</strong><br>
You might argue that some of my music is the sound of the OM moment.</p><p><strong>P as in POLITICS in music:</strong><br>
Everything is implicitly political, but explicit politics in music will never ever be my business. Like, ever.</p><p><strong>Q as in QUO VADIS, remix? </strong><br>
If I knew I would tell you. I really would. There must be an opportunity to tailor a totally different, new dress.</p><p><strong>R as in REALNESS:</strong><br>
I prefer kindness. Realness is generally unreliable. Each one of us decides our own reality. In hip-hop many make the mistake of confusing realness with honesty or authenticity. They also mistake this generally for a good thing. Just imagine Mel Brooks’ Hitler rap without the irony: <em>“Don’t be stupid, be a smarty / Come and join the Nazi party.”</em> Know what I mean?</p><p><strong>S as in ST. PAULI, Hamburg: </strong><br>
We live in St. Georg, baby.</p><p><strong>T as in TELEPATHY:</strong><br>
They call me the antenna of St. Georg.</p><p><strong>U as in UDON:</strong><br>
After quitting music I will open an udon restaurant. The specialty will be kos(h)i udon with ume plum.</p><p><strong>V as in VIOLENCE:</strong><br>
Again, I prefer kindness. But go tell that to the sabre-toothed kitty cat in my amygdala.</p><p><strong>W as in WACK RHYMES:</strong><br>
As if the Stieber Twins never happened. <i>Deren Reime sind Schweine</i>. [“Their rhymes are swines.”]</p><p><strong>X as in XXX: </strong><br>
It means Kiss Kiss Kiss. Don’t you people know anything?</p><p><strong>Y as in YOUNG COCONUT WATER:</strong><br>
<strong></strong>The electrolyte enhancer to start the day after. Or any day.</p><p><strong>Z as in ZAPPA:</strong><br>
Big influence in my early days but too stressful for me today. Did I get old? ~</p><p><a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/2013/03/22/philip-sherburne-recommends-dj-kozes-amygdala/" target="_blank"><em>DJ Koze’s </em>Amygdala</a><em> is out now on Pampa. This text appeared first in <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/2013/03/21/eb-magazine-spring-2013-out-today/" target="_blank">Electronic Beats Magazine N° 33 (Spring 2013)</a>. Read the full issue on <a href="http://issuu.com/eb_magazine/docs/ebmag_33?mode=window" target="_blank">issuu.com</a>.</em></p>
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Chunk #1 (Position: 0)
# The alphabet according to DJ Koze **Born and raised in the northern German town of Flensburg, Stefan Kozalla aka [DJ Koze][1]{: target="_blank"} has evolved over the past two decades from enfant- to savant- to the avant-terrible of German dance music. A runner up in the national DMC competitio...
Chunk #2 (Position: 1)
**F as in FAILURE:** There is no such thing. You just do what you can't. **G as in GERMAN HIP HOP:** "Sieg-sieg-siegiddy-heil." That's Mel Brooks, summing up "German" rap in the title song of his remake of Ernst Lubitsch's *To Be or Not to Be*. Of course, it isn't like that at all...
Chunk #3 (Position: 2)
Not my words. Uttered by the other. **O as in OM:** You might argue that some of my music is the sound of the OM moment. **P as in POLITICS in music:** Everything is implicitly political, but explicit politics in music will never ever be my business. Like, ever. Q as in QUO...
Chunk #4 (Position: 3)
\["Their rhymes are swines."\] X as in XXX: It means Kiss Kiss Kiss. Don't you people know anything. **Y as in YOUNG COCONUT WATER:** ****The electrolyte enhancer to start the day after. Or any day. **Z as in ZAPPA:** Big influence in my early days but too stressful for...