Kölsch drops KINEMA featuring CamelPhat, Bonn, and Troels Abrahamsen, and teases a live immersive show called Kölsch and the Machine.
Kölsch‘s sound has always felt rooted in nostalgia, rich with emotion, memory and reflection. The Danish DJ and producer has long embraced the emotional depth that electronic production can offer, and in his new 10-track album KINEMA, he delves deeper into it.
Known for masterfully mixing emotion into melody through albums like 1977, 1983, and I Talk To Water, Kölsch has returned with a new chapter that explores movement — not only in sound, but in physical spaces. Alongside the new project, he’s unveiled Kölsch and The Machine, a new live show that extends his vision beyond the studio debuting at Amsterdam Dance Event on October 23.
Think about it: His music already pulls listeners in through headphones and club sound systems. This immersive live experience of the album promises to elevate his emotional storytelling to a new level with reworked songs and a KINEMA-tic production.
As an artist fluent in nostalgia, Kölsch revisits one of his most classic works, “All That Matters,” and gives it new emotional weight. Originally released in 2013, the track finds a new life on KINEMA, now backed by the Symphony of Unity in collaboration with Troels Abrahamsen. The orchestral element floods the mix like memory rushing back as strings sweep in. And lyrics such as “all that matters is where you lay your head, all I care about is that you’re always safe” feel vulnerable, intimate, and timeless.
That emotional undercurrent also runs deep through tracks like “Waste my Time,” with Camelphat, “Home,” and “Sad Makes Me Happy” featuring Bonn. It’s here that KINEMA reveals the core commonality across its ten tracks: nostalgia with a sense of hope, the ability to look back, but move forward. The lyrics and vocal performances across these cuts stand out not just for their sentiment, but for how they resonate within the album’s broader emotional arc.
But, the artist isn’t only looking inward. Stepping into a more club-like vibe, the album’s title track has a menacing pulse that rapidly sends emotion into outward motion and makes listeners want to dance. Then, along come “All Week” and “Smile” to keep that momentum flowing, highlighting Kölsch’s ability to make one feel and move in unison.
Tracks like “Nacht Und Träume,” “All The Words,” “and “Hands of Mine,” stand out as emotional pillars in the project for their powerful vocals and distinguished instrumentals. Translating to “Night and Dreams” in English, the German track “Nacht Und Träume” draws from romantic-era composer Franz Schubert and poet Matthäus von Collin, resulting in what sounds like an electronic opera. Meanwhile, the guitar in “All The Words” against the light-hearted vocal confessing “all the words I should’ve said, all the things I should’ve done” dropping into a melodic four-on-the-floor rhythm is lethal.
As listeners reach the end, they understand why “Hands of Mine” is the last single on the album. It gathers everything KINEMA stands for: vocals, emotion, organic instrumentation, and that deep pull of nostalgia. It feels less like an ending and more like bliss.
With KINEMA, Kölsch asks what it means to move through life and goes beyond the music. In an era where electronic music often leans towards lively rhythms and upbeat grooves, he dives deeper into darker sounds and storytelling, doubling down by adding a live experience to bring it all together. He reminds us that techno is more than rhythm. It can weep, hope, uplift, and ultimately, move us.
Listen to KINEMA by Kölsch on Spotify or your favorite platform, and follow him on social media to stay updated with new music and upcoming live shows.
Stream Kölsch – KINEMA on Spotify:
Kölsch – KINEMA – Tracklist:
- Waste my time (feat. CamelPhat)
- Nacht Und Träume
- Kinema
- Home
- All that Matters – Symphony of Unity – strings reimagined (feat. Troels Abrahamsen)
- All The Words
- All Week
- Sad Makes Me Happy (feat. Bonn)
- Smile
- Hands of mine
