Kollektiv Turmstrasse, the German techno outfit, produces melodic dance music marked by intricate construction while pulling from an ever-broadening range of influences in adventurous fashion. The project began as a duo of Nico Plagemann and Christian Hilscher and surfaced in the 2000s with twitchy tech-house and minimal techno that felt mysterious, inventive, and tinged with melancholy. Early cuts such as the 2007 track “Tristesse” and 2009’s “Luechtoorn” built a dedicated club following, especially inside Germany. The acclaimed 2010 album Rebellion Der Traümer shifted focus toward downtempo and IDM, after which further club success arrived with the playful 2015 single “Sorry I Am Late.” Eventually the act became Plagemann’s solo vehicle, prompting brighter, more accessible, and at times anthemic material typified by the 2022 single “YAP.” The 2023 full-length Unity of Opposites incorporates indie dance, pop, house, and poetry.
Plagemann and Hilscher, Hamburg residents, first joined forces musically in 1998. Their earliest material surfaced on 12" EPs and digital releases, among them the 2004 dub techno EP New Weakness issued by netlabel No Response and the 2006 full-length Verrückte Welt. Vinyl singles subsequently appeared via Ostwind Records, Diynamic Music, and Connaisseur Recordings. The 2006 EP Disconnect Me, containing the track “Melodrama,” and the 2007 single “Tristesse” ranked among their initial club successes, while 2008’s “Mondscheinprimaten” and the lush, atmospheric “Luechtoorn” of 2009 also registered strongly. Rebellion Der Traümer, released by Connaisseur in 2010, largely stepped away from dance music in favor of downtempo pieces and ambient interludes. Rebellion Der Träumer - Remix Collection followed in 2012, and a digital compilation of Turmstrasse singles for Musik Gewinnt Freunde appeared in 2013. Diynamic put out the Sry I'm Late EP in 2015, spotlighting the Black Rob-sampling “Sorry I Am Late.” Returning to minimal, ambient techno, Ribbon Reef arrived on Musik Gewinnt Freunde in 2019.
After Hilscher’s exit, Plagemann retained the Kollektiv Turmstrasse name for continued solo production and performance. He inaugurated the event series YAP (You Are Perfect), and the 2022 EP YAP became the first release on Not Sorry Music. Remixes of the Brandy-sampling title track ensued, and the 2023 single “Night Wire” guided the sound toward a more anthemic stance. Unity of Opposites features guest vocals by Joel Stewart and Tien Viet Nguyen together with excerpts from Rainer Marie Rilke poems.
