After more than ten years experimenting in the studio, Kosh is one of the few upcoming Moroccan artists to keep an eye on. Born and raised in Casablanca, it was during his time in the US that Kosh truly immersed himself in early acid tracks and Detroit techno, maturing his unique sound. As a DJ, when mixing or performing live, the Moroccan knows how to subtly jump through different genres. Versatility is a trademark of his, delicately blending nasty acid basslines, frenetic breaks and electro beats, as well as warm infused pads and fast-paced techno.
Since moving back to Casablanca in 2016, Kosh has actively been involved with the label Casa Voyager alongside his longtime friends and music partners Driss Bennis (aka OCB) and Jonas Bengio (aka Viewtiful Joe). Having released a plethora of high-quality records including the recently acclaimed “Virtual Reality” EP on Distrikt Paris, Kosh makes his debut appearance on his very own vinyl-only imprint Convergence. Kicking off proceedings is a four-track club orientated record called “The World Inside” which is packed with acid breaks and trademark synth-driven beats. Dedicated to his own productions and collaborations with friends, Convergence is set to drop some hugely exciting records in the not too distant future.
How are you? And what have you been getting up to recently?
Great! Enjoying some sort of freedom here in Morocco. I’ve been trying to keep myself busy with various projects.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your musical journey over the years?
My musical journey started in 2002 at a relatively early age. But I didn’t really get into electronic music until 2007. I was messing around with different kind of genres on a cracked copy of FL Studio and a beaten-up PC. I was still in high school back then, and didn’t think much of it. After some years spent in the U.S. my interest for techno and electro truly matured and I started focusing more on production. In 2017, OCB (aka Driss Bennis) started the label Casa Voyager and I got involved in that. We released some pretty cool records with the guys, and toured across Europe together which was lots of fun. In 2020, the global pandemic put a hold on pretty much everything and I decided to launch my own label, Convergence.
Your new record ”The World Inside” is another stunning release, can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the EP and how you would describe it?
Thanks! Most of this release was produced right at the beginning of the pandemic and the first lockdown. I believe it just translates what I was feeling at that time… Somehow despair and hope at the same time.
What was the creative and production process behind the record?
I usually never set any guideline when I start a track. So I powered up my machines and started messing around until I got something that translated my feeling at that moment. I also tried using new techniques and instruments and exploring new and different sonic realms. I tried getting out of my comfort zone and using more soft synths too.
If you had to pick a favourite track from the EP, which one would it be and why?
They’re all unique in their own way, but I’d go with “The World Inside.” The title of this track refers to the unprecedented time we lived during this past year. We literally got locked inside our home, and our new normal was just that. Our whole world was inside those walls. So I pick this track as an ode to this dystopian time we’re all going through and that will most likely change the course of human history.
Coming as the first release on your new Convergence imprint, what’s the philosophy behind the label and where do you hope to take it?
Convergence is essentially a platform for my own productions and for collabs and splits with friends. It’s like the merging point of different artists and ideas. My goal is to consistently offer a wide range of sounds and artists with unique sonic personalities. Having a project like this also allows me to move at my own pace and ultimately gives me more freedom with my releases and my music.
We noticed you’ll be playing at Dimensions this year! What’s in store for the rest of 2021 for Kosh?!
Yes! I’m so excited! I really hope things go as planned… It’s become hard to plan anything nowadays, so for now all I can say is we should expect more releases and more music.
“The World Inside” is out now on Covergence and is available to buy from Cold Cuts.
Tracklist:
1. The World Inside
2. No Gimmick
3. 1-800-ARP
4. The Infinite Loop
