Hypnotized / Warschauer Strasse

By: Oliver Koletzki
Label: Stil vor Talent
Written by: BenGomori
Rating: 8/10


An unexpected commercial-leaning direction from Berlin tastemaker Oliver Koletzki here, albeit a very classy one. Hypnotized is a simple, piano-driven bit of soulful, stripped back house, with a strong whiff of the ‘80s in the epic, stadium pop piano refrains and poppy beats – and while its not one for “underground” types (i.e. most of his fanbase), but it’s a pretty, competent tune.
 
Underground heads, come back! It’s Format:B remix time! Confusingly, things kick off with what sounds like an interpolation of the guitar riff from Justin Timberlake’s Like I Love You, and given the source material it is a lighter offering from the duo on this occasion. They’ve kept a lot of the vocal in atop their shuffling percussion and bubbly bass groove, building up the atmosphere with an ominous breakdown before letting rip with brooding synth-brass and clicks and pops galore. Different and very interesting.
 
Warschauer Strasse, named after the trendy Berlin street, is more what you’d expect from Koletzki. A funk bassline gets lost amidst juicy tech stabs and sorrowful Rhodes tinkling, making for a very cool tech house vibe. The sounds are woven together beautifully, with quivering bass tones and sharp beats underpinning the whole affair. If you’re a fan of Stimming or anyone of that ilk, this should tickle you nicely.