Robot Koch

Berlin-born electronic producer Robert Koch (aka Robot Koch) switches between driving dancefloor-oriented tracks and expansive cinematic pieces. Debuting as a solo artist with the 2009 full-length Death Star Droid, his earlier work found him operating on the fringes of left-field hip-hop and dubstep of the glitchy or moody variety as opposed to the more overt maximalism. However, by the time of his 2015 album, Hypermoment, he had transitioned to a broader sound while retaining his bright but mellow approach to production. Subsequent works have increasingly incorporated ambient and modern classical elements, with 2020′s The Next Billion Years featuring orchestral arrangements by Nordic Pulse Ensemble and conductor Kristjan Järvi. Additionally, Koch releases ambient material as Foam and Sand, including a 2023 self-titled effort, and has worked with pianist Julien Marchal on releases such as the EP Movements.
Born in 1977, Koch picked up a few different instruments in his younger years, including piano at six and drums at 13. His early musical inclination came to fruition when he became a member of glitchy electropop trio Jahcoozi in the mid-2000s, being responsible for crafting the beats. Additionally, he released an album as part of abstract hip-hop duo the Tape vs. RQM, among several other projects. He began releasing music as Robot Koch late in the decade, including the electro-house single “Lies”/“Fever” with Elle P and hip-hop EP Upside Down with Cerebral Vortex. He released his debut solo album, Death Star Droid, on Project: Mooncircle in 2009, and quickly followed it with 2010′s Songs for Trees and Cyborgs. Its guests included Boxcutter, Doshy, and Graciela Maria. His newfound solo recognition prompted his exit from Jahcoozi along with his relocation to Los Angeles; his third full-length for Project Mooncircle, 2011′s The Other Side, sought to process the emotions that go with moving somewhere completely new.
The next few years saw him make some changes to his sound as developed a more cinematic style; this shift helped to net Koch a win at the German Music Composers Awards for Best Composer Electronic Music. Hypermoment, his fourth album, saw release in 2015 via Modeselektor’s Monkeytown. He founded his own label, Trees & Cyborgs, the following year, which served as a platform for a string of releases, including 2016′s Particle Fields with violinist and composer Savannah Jo Lack. Koch’s 2018 album Sphere was originally conceived as a soundtrack to an audiovisual installation in collaboration with Mickael le Goff. Koch’s sixth studio album, 2020′s orchestral The Next Billion Years, saw release through Modern Recordings.
Koch began making ambient music as Foam and Sand in 2020. He released a reworked version of The Next Billion Years, which was given an immersive premiere in collaboration with audio company L-Acoustics. Koch has also worked with the Monroe Institute, contributing music to their meditation app. Foam and Sand released the full-length Full Circle in 2021, expanding the series of “Circle” pieces with the project’s Nettwerk-issued self-titled 2023 effort, featuring guests like Priscilla Ahn and TWO LANES. Robot Koch and pianist Julien Marchal released the EP Movements, also in 2023. ~ Liam Martin & Paul Simpson