Meet Anna Kohlin, a captivating electronic artist whose eclectic blend of old and new house, tech-house, and breaks has entranced audiences across Sweden’s club scene. Known for her immersive sets at renowned venues like Under Bron/Trädgården and NEU, Anna is not only a skilled DJ but also a talented producer and the mastermind behind Inside Out club series and label. With releases on Dirty Hands Records and KMA60 Prozpektiva, Anna’s musical charm is undeniable, promising an unforgettable experience on the dancefloor.
Hi Anna, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. For those who may be unfamiliar with yourself and your new imprint, Inside Out, could you please tell us about yourself and the label?
Thank you for having me! I’m a DJ and producer based in Stockholm where I’ve been active in the music scene for quite some time. The idea of Inside Out first started as a club series that then evolved into a label run by myself and my close friend Koorosh, who is also a great DJ. Mostly out of a need to creative something together, book exciting artists and curate a music platform with the label.
You’re a native of Sweden and Inside Out has operated as a club series in the country’s capital, Stockholm, for some time. Could you tell us what the sound of Inside Out is sonically and share some moments since its inception as a club series?
Me and Koorosh are both into vinyl culture so that has been a bigger focus of the club series, but not limited to. The most important piece has been to create something that feels interesting, which could be in terms of an international booking that haven’t played in Stockholm before or in an interesting space or venue. We both share a love for new and 90s house, techno, breaks and everything in between. One memorable club night is when we booked Youandewan over back in 2022 at Trädgården, Stockholms most important Summer club. It was a Thursday with unreliable weather, so we weren’t sure if people were going to show up. Turned out that a lot of music heads and fans came which made it a really special night with great vibes when you don’t have the usual generic night club visitor that might not be very into the music playing. Also great to have Ewan over to play for his first time in Stockholm.
This inaugural release on the label comes courtesy of yourself taking up the a-side and two b-side tracks from Basement Series. When did you make these tracks and how would you describe them and the b-side of the record?
Enjoy Yourself was created last Summer and I almost finished the whole track in one session. It all came very naturally and I had really fun making it. I first brought that track along with two others to Patrik (Basement Space) for feedback since we’ve been talking about creating a split EP together. Enjoy Yourself was then decided to be A1 but struggled to choose A2. A few days later I finished Let’s See What Happens and Patrik immediately said that it should be the second track of the release when I came back to his studio to show it. For me it was great to have someone else to choose my tracks, which Koorosh and Patrik played a big part in. For B1 and B2, me and Koorosh picked them out of a long list of great tracks. Patrik really is an amazing producer.
A side is leaning into bumpy bass lines, atmospheric stabs and breaks. On the B side, Basement Space shows his well-known cosmic funk style and vintage synth melodies with old school vocals. Together we felt it created a dynamic EP with the sounds we all really enjoy.
You’ve previously released your own music on fellow Swedish artist Per Hammar’s Dirty Hands label and Dana Ruh (I believe Dana isn’t part of the label anymore) and Jamie Fry’s KMA60 Prozpektiva. How did these releases and your connections to these artists come around?
Per Hammar reached out to me after hearing me talk about production in a Swedish podcast. I mentioned that I had a lot of demos and I’m really thankful that he pushed me to share it with him. I didn’t have the guts to show anyone before and he gave me the confidence to create more. With KMA60, I got in touch with Jamie through my friend and A&R Norman who was kind enough to listen to my tracks, select his favorites and shared it with Jamie.
What does the future hold for Inside Out after this debut EP comes out, did you already plan further releases for 2024 and any new parties planned for this year?
The plan is to continue releasing music from mostly Swedish underground artists and create interesting combinations of sounds. For the club series, we just had our release party at Under Bron in Stockholm where we invited Melody alongside a live set from Basement Space. Fun times! Next, we’re planning something fun towards the Summer.
Lastly, could you offer us some tips of things to do, check out, places to shop and anything else you would recommend as must do’s for people visiting Stockholm from across the globe?
For clubs you should visit Under Bron/Trädgården and NEU. The underground scene here is also very good. Hosoi is a must-visit listening bar and restaurant run by lovely people. For records, Snickars is my favorite store to shop in with a wide collection of genres.
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