Max Koffler has over 30 years of experience as a guitarist, singer, and music producer. He combines energetic melodies with his magically charged voice to create unique audio landscapes. Embracing pop, rock, blues, and electronic, his songs range in mood and tone from the subdued and melancholic to the buoyant and loud.
Koffler's music cannot be easily categorized, as he thrives on variation. "The work is what counts, and not the artist," says Koffler, commenting on his dedication to his craft. A sense of humble reserve has always informed Koffler's creative output, whether alone or in collaboration with other musicians.
Born in Berlin in 1978, Koffler was introduced to the guitar and violin at an early age. As a young student, Koffler played the lead role in two musicals. The family's move to Stendal, some 70-miles west of Berlin, triggered a new creative direction: In 1994 he formed the rock band Kerosin with his brother Hanno. Over a ten year period, Kerosin performed dozens of shows, and as front-man Koffler developed a following for his inspired guitar riffs. The band won several contests, and made contributions to the soundtracks of numerous TV and movie productions.
In 2000, Max began his studies at the Berlin University of the Arts. After Kerosin separated in 2004, Koffler embarked on a solo career. "I love channeling the magical," he says. In 2008 his enchanting debut album Taboo was released under Sony BMG following a short concert tour in South Korea. For the tour, Koffler teamed up with Michael Hug, Aram Schneider, Clemens Koch, and Stephan Schellin, forming the band Seoulmates. In Germany they performed as an opening act for Neil Young, which led to an in-depth article in the prominent German news magazine Der Spiegel. "Life is like a one-way highway," Koffler sings – an apt analogy, for looking at his body of work, one does see clear lines of continuity, in tandem with steady movement in a forward direction.
GAMES is the title of the second album by the Berlin singer–songwriter Max Koffler. The title is fitting, because the 14 songs on this beautifully arranged LP all have a sense of playfulness, as does the album cover, which features a colorful abstract painting by Albrecht Oehlen. Beyond playfulness, GAMES defies neat categorization, however, as it contains a wide range of sounds and moods. Each track showcases a different aspect of Koffler's creative talent. The album was written over many years, meaning that each song was inspired by a different time and place.
Six tracks were recorded with the band Seoulmates. One track, "The Boldest Cats," was performed with the participants of a music seminar called Mix with the Masters.
The final track on the album – the only song in German – was written by Max Koffler together with his brother Hanno. All of the remaining songs were produced by Max alone in his Berlin studio.
These songs are clearly the product of extensive experimentation, yet Koffler does not strive for artificial purity or perfection. "Songs need to have rough edges and be a bit raw. Many musicians focus on ironing out errors, but this sanitizes the sound. We do the opposite, preserving the rough edges while letting them enrich the music. As a result, the songs feel more organic; they become more interesting." In this way, Koffler embraces creative accidents, and makes them integral to the composition. The Grammy award-winning Jimmy Douglass, who mixed the entire album at his Magic Mix Studios in Miami, describes this approach as "emphasizing the good things."
On the album, energetic vocals are augmented by carefully dosed synthetic sounds and electronic beats. The songs explore a range of moods, from the melancholic and wistful to the upbeat and carefree. Many tracks display powerful vocals and an infectious rhythm. "Choose Your Fate," a poetic ode to Berlin and its special sense of freedom, introduces the listener to a vibrant playground of sound.
Another track on the album, "Long Lost Land," is infused with a more sentimental spirit. The Seoulmates Michael Hug, Aram Schneider, Clemens Koch and Stephan Schellin tantalize listeners with perfect rhythm and melody, while Koffler showcases his hypnotic talents as a vocalist. In total, six tracks on the album were performed in collaboration with the Seoulmates.
"The Boldest Cats" breaks loose with a catchy pop beat. Max captivates the listener with his crisp and energy-laden voice. The background vocals, which were developed as part of the Mix With The Masters seminar, gives this track a unique harmonic depth.
The last song on the album – “Wenn” – is the only song in German. But it stands apart for other reasons as well. The piano and guitar on this track engage in a musical dialogue, coalescing beautifully with percussion sounds and electronic effects, thus creating an enchanting, electric tension. Max’s brother Hanno sings on this track, until the end of the song when Max responds ironically in a manner redolent of the Beatles. The song is a fitting capstone to the album, and seems to hint that much more is to come.
GAMES has a complexity and depth that is not quickly exhausted. Listeners are sure to continually re-visit this energetic and addictive album.
The album's label, sonsounds, was founded under the auspices of the Berlin art gallery galerie son, where Max works as a gallerist. Max's work with the visual arts is sure to have partially inspired GAMES, as the album is a colorful and vibrant journey to new playgrounds of sound. - Anna Sátra
The album was released 3 March 2017
01 - Choose Your Fate (Single Release: 1 January 2018)
02 - Europaroma
03 - Limits (Single Release: 19 December 2017)
04 - The Fire Is Yours (Single Release: 5 December 2017)
05 - Love Songs
06 - Shake Hands
07 - The Boldest Cats
08 - Big Chart (Single Release: 3 March 2018)
09 - Purple (Single Release: 12 December 2017)
10 - Saranghae Seoul
11 - May I Ask (Single Release: 4 April 2018)
12 - Watergum (Single Release: 2 February 2018)
13 - Long Lost Land
14 - Wenn
Tracks 01, 02, 03, 04, 06 & 11: Max Koffler
Tracks 05, 08, 09, 10, 12 & 13: Max Koffler & Seoulmates
Track 07: Max Koffler & The Jimmy Douglass Mix With The Masters Class
Track 14: Max & Hanno Koffler
Apart from the first three tracks, this is quite a good album and a worthy addition to your music collection, and if like me, you don't like the opening three tracks, do as I do and skip them and enjoy the rest of the album, you'll be glad you did, I know that I was.
Stream the album: Spotify / Apple Music / Deezer / Tidal
Purchase: iTunes
awesome. thanks for the review !
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