Dj Koze - XTC [Pampa]

Format: 12" in label sleeve.
CAT: PAMPA024

DJ Koze’s 2013 album Amygdala has continued to cast its spell over all who stumble upon it since its release. Deemed its own Sgt. Pepper, in reference to The Beatles’ classic, this sublime long-player revealed a fully realised and deeply personal work, with classical songwriting at its core, house music at its heart and veins pumped full of psychedelic colour.

“La Duquesa” was the album’s dreamiest and most striking single, a trip into deep, tropical ecstasy. “XTC” begins in that same spirit, and captures all the pleasurable allusions of its name, though its initial gentleness belies the intensity that’s to come. Floating pads shine with a celestial atmosphere as a bass drum slowly takes shape, and the introduction of a spoken text marks the beginning of the second act: “Many people are experimenting with the drug Ecstasy… is the drug like lying and meditation the truth? Or am I missing something that could really help me?”

From there, “XTC” transforms: sweet, pleading tones become demanding, gentle chord transitions turn sharp, and cutting hi-hats slice through the haze. With Koze’s characteristic percussive details, the track builds to its final climax: an undeniable, all-consuming, and irresistible high.

“Knee On Belly” reminds us of the more ironic and direct Koze: bright, bold, and literally brass-laden, it uses fragments of winds of all shapes and sizes to weave its own unique arrangement. With the highs and mids already covered, Koze adds a swollen, vibrant bassline that brings this authentic floor-filler to life. The track reclaims a raw, filtered, and funky approach to groove, with a nod to disco house and the art of creative sampling, orbiting between its own neon peaks and fiery lows.