DJ Koze

Germany's minimal-techno types often get a bad rap -- they're too serious, they wear scarves, they wouldn't know funk if it bit'em in the butt -- but DJ Koze handily disproves at least two of those points (no word on the scarf issue.) His group International Pony is responsible for some of the wackiest, electro-infused R&B anywhere, while his own singles for Cologne's Kompakt label are among the most soulful (and bizarre) recordings in all minimal techno. Part of what sets Koze apart are his roots in hip-hop: his DJ sets offset house music's long blends with lickety-split cuts and juxtapositions. His oddball touch has made him a sought-after remixer -- his reworks for Noze, Matthew Dear and Egoexpress easily eclipse the originals -- while his Adolf Noise alias has provided an outlet for even stranger forays. Kosi Comes Around remains his definitive artist's statement, pulling together sensual minimalism ("Raw"), chopped-and-screwed soul ("My Grandmotha") and squealing techno ("Don't Feed the Cat"). But the trickster also has a sensitive side: "Cicely," the B-side of his single for Stuttgart's Philpot label, is as bittersweet as autumn rain.