Hamburg’s DJ Koze has pitched up with his first album since 2005 – and he’s brought a host of buddies along for ride. 

Where his contemporaries tend to pitch for prettiness (Justus Köhncke) or precision (Pantha Du Prince), Koze has always been a dab hand at making uneasy, quietly melodramatic microhouse. Although he’s been operating in hip-hop/dance circles since the  mid-1990s, he remains best known for his association with Kompakt: he released his last album Kosi Comes Around on the Cologne label, plus a string of EPs between 2003 and 2006.

He’s since put out 12″s for the likes of Philpot and his own Pampa label, responsible for 2010’s dusky cut ‘Blume Der Nacht’.  He’s been more visible in the last few years as a remixer, contributing to Caribou’s Swim Remixes collection, remixing Michael Mayer and Apparat, and recently doing the rounds with a remix in honour of Herbert’s Bodily Functions reissue.

Pampa will take charge of Koze’s new LP, Amygdala. The album will be his first in eight years, and promises big things – the label are describing the disc as “Koze’s Sgt. Pepper“. Amygdala promises a host of guest appearances from Koze’s friends in high places. Caribou returns the favour with an appearance on ‘Track ID Anyone?’, as does Apparat on ‘Nices Wölkchen’. Matthew Dear also contributes to two tracks on the record, with further guests including Ada, Dirk Von Lowtzow and Milsoh.

Amygdala is due on March 25.

Tracklisting:
1. Track ID Anyone? (Feat. Caribou)
2. Nices Wölkchen (Feat. Apparat)
3. Royal Asscher Cut
4. Magical Boy (Feat. Matthew Dear)
5. Das Wort (Feat. Dirk Von Lowtzow)
6. Homesick (Feat. Ada)
7. La Duquesa
8. Marilyn Whirlwind
9. My Plans (Feat. Matthew Dear)
10. Don’t Lose My Mind
11. Amygdala (Feat. Milosh)
12. Ich Schreib’ Dir Ein Buch 2013 (Feat. Hildegard Knef)
13. NooOoo (Feat. Tomerle & Maiko)