Podcast 806: Rose Kourts

With any DJ set from Rose Kourts (a.k.a Kourtney), the Brooklyn, New York-based DJ, you can expect dynamic, feel-good energy, with sumptuous groove and funky percussion throughout. (She grew up playing the drums and has always had a particular inclination towards these rhythms,” she says.) She is a resident DJ at Sweet Kicks, one of Brooklyn’s most adored DIY parties that she founded to celebrate house and rave, and she helms a monthly show on Lot Radio called GEMS—where she delivers hours and hours of, well, rare sonic gems. (As the show’s name would suggest.) But from there her star has been steadily rising. She’s supported artists including Moodymann and Mr. G, and this weekend she’ll play alongside the mighty Juan Atkins in New York.

She connected with Hone Social, a program that offered free DJing workshops and access to equipment, to learn for fun and to have a creative outlet, but was recommended for her first gig shortly after her second session and the rest was history. “Five years later and here we are,” she says. For this week’s XLR8R podcast, Kourtney has delivered a mix of spell-binding rhythms—many of them her “classics” that she can be found playing out regularly. Tune in for just over an hour of freewheeling house and techno from one of New York’s brightest names.

01. What have you been up to recently?
Doing the most and living fully, for sure! I’m DJing just about every weekend, traveling, making mixes, working on my Lot Radio show, and constantly digging for new jams. I also recently taught my first few classes on DJing (both vinyl and digital) at Superior Elevation here in Brooklyn and it’s been an absolute delight, especially having learned how to DJ myself from sessions at a similar workshop years ago. In my down time I have been holding space for quality time with my loved ones as well as solo time for daydreaming and recharging my batteries. I’m happy to be blessed and usually only minimally stressed.

02. What have you been listening to?
Records I’ve picked up on recent travels, more than anything else. Special shout out to Portland’s Musique Plastique, Chicago’s Gramaphone Records, Detroit Threads and People’s Records in the D, and Static Age in Asheville for my digs this Spring! Support your local record shop!!

03. Where and when did you record this mix?
I recorded this mix in Brooklyn in June 2023.

04. How did you choose the tracks that you’ve included?
I like to bring the listener along on a sonic journey with mixes, and I also love a prompt. For XLR8R I wanted to lean into the idea of acceleration and the records you’ll hear in this mix are selections that I feel “accelerate” in various ways: tracks that elicit a swell of emotion and release; records that play with tempo; music that takes you for a high-speed ride; songs that I’ve played to build up the energy in a room or to release it; tracks that are just dope that I want other people to hear. You feel me?

05. Where do you imagine it being listened to?
So many places! Anywhere you can listen loudly is definitely ideal; I am biased but these tracks rock and should get you rocking. Speaking for myself, I also have been listening to it while running errands, biking around the city, in the shower, and while hanging with friends so really wherever folks wanna vibe out is exactly right for a listen!

06. How does it compare to what we might hear you play out live?
It’s very comparable! I’ve actually played all of the music you’ll hear out in my live DJ sets. This mix takes direct inspiration from my set at Wire, an incredible techno festival in New York I played about a month prior to this mix release. I thought about music I wanted to hear played loudly on a booming, brilliant sound system; there are lots of Rose Kourts classics and new obsessions in the mix!

What are your plans for the rest of the year?
Keeping this party train going. I have some exciting shows coming up throughout the summer, including a few with some of my actual personal heroes that have me going, “Wow, this is real life!” I’ll be playing in and around the US, hosting parties here in Brooklyn, and heading back to Europe to play some shows before a much-anticipated holiday with my family. I also intend to (finally!) carve out time to start getting into music production. I’ve just been feeling buoyant and excited about the present as well as what’s on the horizon (known and yet unknown) which is a truly wonderful space to be in, especially given all the curveballs life can throw at you. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow, follow my passion, and make memories and connections with others that I’ll cherish forever in this lifetime and the next!

XLR8R Subscribers can download the podcast below. If you’re not an XLR8R subscriber, you can read more about it and subscribe here.

Tracklisting

01. Dave Angel “Scorpion” (Bedrock Records)
02. ProOne79 “Acid Pump” (Self-Released)
03. Jeff Mills “Condor To Mallorca” (Fear-E’s Area 51 Remix)(Self-Released)
04. Fear-E “80s Arcade Obsession” (Posh End Music)
05. Rozzo “Zorro” (Bush Records)
06. I.C.E. Tech “Noise and Music (Cold Original Mix)” (Stik Records)
07. DJ Savage “Breaking Point” (TH Tar Hallow)
08. LFO “Freak” (Warp Records)
09. Praga Khan “Love” (Insider Remix) (Never Records)
10. Foxx “If You’re Serious” (Foxx)
11. Dopplereffekt “Satellites” (Fear-E’s Hovering Over The Earth Remix) (Self-Released)
12. E RIPLEY “Soyuz 1” (Oyabun Audio)
13. Estoc “LOSE MY HARROWLANDS”(Self-Released)
14. DJ Savage “Pre-Post” (TH Tar Hallow)
15. Urban Sprawl “Take 1” (Pull The Strings)
16. BLACK GIRL / WHITE GIRL “Chameleonaire” (Extended Mix) (Hybrid Spasm)
17. ANNĒ “80’s Revisited” (Hardgroove)
18. ANNĒ “60’s Style” (Hardgroove)
19. ANNĒ “Roller” (Hardgroove)
20. DJ ESP “Am” (Generator Records)
21. Sam Link “The Breath” (Low Battery)
22. Sonic “Right Now” (Soul:r)

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