DJ Q&A: Oliver Koletzki
The talent behind Stil vor Talent, Oliver Koletzki, returns to Halcyon SF Saturday May 11 th for another spellbinding night on the dance floor.
Oliver, we always find ourselves awe-struck after your sets. Your selections are truly spectacular. What is the process by which you find such incredible music?
Thanks. I always try to play unreleased tracks as much as I can because I want to present the audience with music they’ve never heard before. So around 60% of my set are promos and demos. The other 40% I buy as part of my weekly Beatport shopping ritual, which happens every Friday.
You founded Stil vor Talent in 2005 and have since delivered an incredible amount of varied, quality music to listeners around the world. How much time do you spend listening to demos? Do you know in an instant that you want to release a track on the label or is it a more lengthy process?
Luckily my colleague Friedrich is pre-listening to all the demos that are coming in via Stil vor Talent. He is sorting out the 50 best tracks from about 300 every month. From those I test 10 tracks on tour and sign about 3 at the end. But in most cases I know after seconds of listening if it’s a track for my label or not.
Very cool that you test them on tour. What does Stil vor Talent mean?
It translates as style over talent. The story behind the name is that my whole childhood people told me I’m not talented when it comes to music. For me it means you can reach everything in life when you believe in yourself.
Well you’ve definitely proved them wrong and that’s great advice for everyone! You have just released an impressive collection of remixes titled “Remix Tales”. There is so much great music here! What was the impetus for this latest project?
Two years ago I was updating my Spotify profile and realized that I made over 70 remixes in the last 15 years. So I thought it was about time to release the best of the bunch in one package, with 4 unreleased ones added for good measure. I love to do remixes – especially of vocal tracks.
You are an accomplished artist, playing multiple instruments, tirelessly producing music and managing one of Europe’s most respected labels. How do you balance all of this?
Over the years I have built the best team around me at Stil vor Talent. This helps a lot. And to counterbalance I do sports and play Zelda. But being in the studio is a form of relaxation for me as well.
What is a typical day in the life of Oliver Koletzki?
From Monday till Thursday I do sports in the morning and go to my studio afterwards. For lunch I’m meeting my colleagues at the SVT office. And on the weekend I’m usually playing shows.
What is the one thing you wish you could dedicate more time to?
Cooking
Do you manage to spend any time “clubbing” in Berlin?
Yes of course! On one Sunday a month I go out partying (and not DJing), with my best mates!
That’s awesome. What are your insider tips for someone visiting Berlin if they want a true taste of the underground?
I go to Sisyphos or Kater Blau quite regularly as most of my friends are there. A taste of the Berlin underground you can get at Griessmühle or About Blank. Berghain is also still worth a visit.
We haven’t yet hit upon your demanding tour schedule. You are having a bit of a moment right now, more in demand than ever! How does it feel to see your calendar full of gigs in far-flung places?
It’s unbelievable how well things are going at the moment, after 15 years of DJ’ing. On one hand though, a “calendar full of gigs in far-flung places” equals traveling a lot, polluting the environment, less sleep, jetlag, unhealthy food…on the other hand I’m super grateful for everything.
What is the one thing you could not tour without?
I can’t travel without noise cancelling headphones. They make such a big difference when you fly a lot.
You have played San Francisco quite a few times now. What are your favorite things about the city by the bay?
Funnily enough I like the climate. It’s never too cold or too hot. Okay, sometimes it could be a little bit warmer… One of my favorite San Francisco experiences is to eat clam chowder – so good!
We’ll have to take you to Fisherman’s Wharf this weekend to have it served in a sourdough bowl!
We’re looking forward to another mesmerizing night on deck with Oliver Koletzki this weekend.
OLIVER KOLETZKI
Oliver Koletzki first started producing music in the eighties with a Commodore 64. At aged 13, he started taking guitar and piano lessons. His inspirations were Breakdance and Hip Hop music of the early nineties.
It sounds like a fairy tale. In 2005 29-year old OLIVER KOLETZKI presses 500 copies of his underground hit “Der Mückenschwarm”. One of those white labels lands in Sven Väth’s record bag and whenever he plays the track, the people go wild. Shortly after techno-king Väth signs the track on his techno empire Cocoon. “Der Mückenschwarm”, already considered as a techno classic – becomes the best sold techno record of 2005, the best ever selling record on Cocoon and OLIVER KOLETZKI gets voted best newcomer of the year in prestigious Groove magazine.
But one would be fooled to think that this was the start of Oliver’s musical career. Since he was 12 years old, OLIVER KOLETZKI has been deeply infected with the production of music. He starts out by programming Hip-Hop beats on the C64, but quickly falls in love with more electronic sounds like breakdance and synthie-pop that he produces on the first Amiga computers. When he turns 18, he also starts to DJ in his hometown of Braunschweig and quickly becomes a regular DJ in the local clubs. In 2000 he decides to move to Berlin to study music – and the excessive Berlin nightlife. He promptly lands himself DJ gigs in smaller clubs and bars, but with the release of his first record, things change for the better. In the summer of 2005 he starts to play festivals, gets booked into the most prestigious clubs all over the world and gets asked to remix the likes of Rockers Hi-Fi, Client or Cassius. However, while superstardom is lurking around every corner, Oliver stays down to earth: “I have been making music for nearly twenty years now. That provides me with a stable base for not going nuts. Basically, I am still doing the same that I have been doing for years now: making music during the week and playing out on the weekends, even if it is on a slightly different level now.”
In October 2005, while still riding on the success of his debut single, Oliver directly realises one of his dreams: to have his own label. He founds Stil vor Talent, a label dedicated to pushing new artists and creating a platform for a huge variation of quality electronic dance music – from minimal techno to squeaky house to pop music. “From the beginning I wanted to give people the same chance that I’ve had and offer them a platform to release their music. However: the quality of the music is above everything else. Firstly, I have to like it”, Oliver comments on the philosophy of his label. And he is a workaholic. He still spends hours and hours listening to demo tracks and goes out to see people play live in small clubs. Up until now, Stil vor Talent can look back on over 40 releases that include Oliver’s first artist album “Get Wasted”, the über-hit “3 Tage Wach” or Oliver’s latest masterpiece: his electronically influenced pop album “Großstadtmärchen”.
OLIVER KOLETZKI seems to have a nose for commercial success out of the underground, which Lützenkirchens ironic afterhour manifest “3 Tage Wach” is the best example for: the track becomes the best-sold techno track of 2008. In 2009 Oliver continues this success story with the release of his album “Großstadtmärchen” – an electro-pop album featuring national and international big names such as Mieze Katz (MIA), Axel Bosse or Die Raketen as well as many newcomers such as singers Juli Holz, Pyur and Fran. With “Großstadtmärchen” Oliver has managed to achieve what only few techno producers manage can do: to produce a pop album with club credibility. The singles “Hypnotized” and “U-Bahn” get nationwide airplay on the radio and when Oliver plays them in the club people sing along to the lyrics.
But he wouldn’t be OLIVER KOLETZKI if he didn’t want to perform the album live on stage as well. In the summer 2009 he founds his band The Koletzkis with many of his old friends and the singer Fran. They have already played live at Bar 25, Watergate and Lido in Berlin as well as in Leipzig, Bern, Hamburg, Vienna and many other cities. For 2009 they have big plans: in the summer they will play the big festivals and will put Oliver’s music out there – from the clubs into the concerts halls, from the beach raves to the open-airs.
Label manager, producer, DJ, bandleader: above all this, Oliver still manages to fill the clubs around the world and make people smile to his energetic DJ sets. Be in the best clubs of Europe such as London’s Fabric, Berlin’s Berghain or around the rest of the world: Oliver knows how to perform and connect with his audience. In March 2010 Oliver will do another Australia tour, he will tour South America again and play the infamous Thai Break festival. While rehearsing with The Koletzkis and signing new hot artists for his label Stil vor Talent, OLIVER KOLETZKI is already working on his next album. There is really no stopping him in 2010!
DEAN SAMARAS
DJing for over 20+ years, Dean Samaras utilizes his lengthy experience to craft technical, creative DJ sets known for musical range. At the top of the San Francisco scene for more than decade, Dean has held long standing residences at award winning Ruby Skye (2003-2011) and the legendary Endup (2004-2015), excelling at the after hours sounds of house and techno.
He has played all over the US as well as internationally in Mexico and South America; bringing a raw, old school style of DJing to the contemporary masses. As a Remixer/Producer Dean’s gravitates towards the late night sounds, evident on his debut techno banger ‘Calling Me’ on D-Formation’s acclaimed label, BeatFreak Group (Spain). Getting back in the studio in 2017, expect some new sounds from Dean this year.
