“It reminds me of festivals in Europe”: German producer Solee on Kappa CULTR 2026
“I’m really looking forward,” said Solee, ahead of his performance at Kappa CULTR’s second day in Kochi. The German electronic music producer and DJ, born Marco Cassanelli, arrived at the venue barely half an hour before the conversation, carrying with him the quiet composure of an artist whose music is built on emotional depth rather than spectacle.
For Solee, the evening marked a double first, his debut performance at Kappa CULTR and his first visit to Kochi. With jet lag still lingering and little time to take in the city, his impressions were necessarily brief but sincere.
He had not yet explored much of the surroundings, he admitted, but what he had seen already left a positive impression.
The festival’s visual atmosphere caught his attention immediately. He spoke about how the layout reminded him of intimate European festivals, particularly the presence of smaller stands and shops that gave the space character.
There was a sense of familiarity in the design, he suggested, despite the geographical and cultural distance from his home base in Stuttgart.
Solee was candid about his prior knowledge of CULTR. Coming from Germany, he explained, India can feel like “another world,” not in an alienating sense but as a reflection of difference.
His introduction to the festival came primarily through social media. Instagram posts, clips, and digital chatter had offered glimpses of the event, but the lived experience, he implied, carried a different kind of energy.
That energy was something he was eager to encounter through music. Standing before a massive stage setup, Solee expressed clear admiration for its scale. He described the stage as “huge” and “really cool,” adding that the sound system also impressed him.
For an artist whose productions rely heavily on layered melodies and atmospheric textures, sound quality is central to the performance experience.
When asked about what audiences could expect from his set, Solee leaned towards consistency rather than reinvention. He explained that he would be playing his “normal DJ set,” a selection shaped largely by his own productions.
His performances are known for flowing seamlessly between melodic techno and progressive house, with occasional trance influences subtly woven into the mix.
This sonic identity has long defined Solee’s work. Over nearly two decades, he has built a reputation for emotionally driven electronic music characterised by warmth, depth, and steady forward motion.
His tracks often unfold gradually, favouring immersive melodic development over abrupt drops, an approach that resonates strongly with listeners seeking atmosphere as much as rhythm.
His discography reflects that evolution. With eight artist albums to his name, including Goldglut (2024), Nothing Lasts Forever (2022), and Humanoid (2019), Solee continues to refine a sound that balances introspection with dancefloor momentum.
Beyond production, his influence extends through the labels he founded, Parquet Recordings and Future Romance, both recognised for championing melodic and progressive electronic music.
Despite the excitement surrounding the performance, time constraints shadowed his visit. Solee revealed that he would be leaving Kochi the following day, a schedule he seemed to regret almost instantly. “I should have booked one day more,” he reflected, hinting at a desire to experience the city beyond the festival grounds.
Yet there was optimism embedded in that regret. The notion of “next time” emerged naturally in the conversation, suggesting that Kochi, and perhaps Kappa CULTR, had already secured a place on his future itinerary. For now, however, Solee’s focus remained firmly on the night ahead, the music, the crowd, and the connection waiting to unfold under festival lights.