KUKO welcomes Tokio Hotel to hard-techno for the first chapter of the CATHARSIS album, due September 25.
Amsterdam, June 19, 2026 — Hard techno frontrunner KUKO officially opens the world of CATHARSIS, teaming up with Tokio Hotel for the release of his new single and bringing one of Germany's most globally recognized bands into his distinctive, introspective realm of hard techno. Out now, the track sets KUKO's debut album of the same name in motion ahead of its September 25 release, marking the first full opening of a five-chapter artist world built around fear, memory, ritual, truth, and transcendence. Designed to reach the mainstream with the hard core of the genre still intact, "CATHARSIS" lands as a fearless statement from an artist making hard techno feel bigger, more human and more culturally visible. "CATHARSIS" is out now on streaming services everywhere.
Sonically, "CATHARSIS" is a prime example of a layered contrast. KUKO infuses the track with a thunderous kick and gritty synths, keeping the production firmly rooted in hard techno, while Tokio Hotel bring an emotional edge through emotionally charged lead lines and harmonies that feel cold, spacious and almost spectral. The band's presence gives "CATHARSIS" a different shape from the usual hard-techno feature, pushing KUKO's sound toward a wider audience while keeping the production locked into the modern rave sound. The track's drop crushes with true mainstage force, while the synths carry enough melody to maintain a level of emotional depth in the record. The result is a track with genuine crossover reach: heavy enough for the hard techno circuit, melodic enough to travel further, and passionate enough to feel tied to the big picture of CATHARSIS.
Tokio Hotel's involvement is not a typical hard-techno feature. As one of the most internationally recognized German music exports of the past two decades, with 10M+ records sold worldwide and a fan base that has followed the band from teenage anthems into adulthood, their entry into hard techno is a genuine departure rather than a guest verse. Within CATHARSIS, that departure opens a cross-generational bridge: from German pop history to hard techno, from generational fan culture to rave catharsis, and from alternative youth identity to emotional club culture. The collaboration also lands at an unusual moment for the band, who arrive on “CATHARSIS” while building toward their own seventh studio album, ENCORE, and a near-sold-out 2026 European arena tour, choosing to step into an entirely different sonic world rather than stay inside the one that helped build them.
KUKO arrives at this single with real foundation behind it: 2025 saw over 200 shows across more than 20 countries, stages including EDC Las Vegas, Factory Town Miami and Knockdown Center New York, while his EP DIE TONIGHT saw an Official German Album Chart entry, and his global community of over 1 million continues to grow. It all paves the road for the full album, CATHARSIS, which is structured as a five-chapter journey, moving from the Damned through the Void, the Ritual and the Priest before arriving at Transcendence, with each single opening another chapter of the same world. Beyond the music, that world extends into fashion, symbols and physical objects, turning the album into something the audience can wear, collect and belong to, rather than just stream.
The release also begins a busy stretch for KUKO, who brings CATHARSIS into a live setting this weekend at HIVE Festival before following up with shows in Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Portugal shortly after the single drops. From there, the album campaign continues to build with a run of new singles throughout the summer, each pulling another chapter of the CATHARSIS mythology into focus.
Tokio Hotel's involvement is not a typical hard-techno feature. As one of the most internationally recognized German music exports of the past two decades, with 10M+ records sold worldwide and a fan base that has followed the band from teenage anthems into adulthood, their entry into hard techno is a genuine departure rather than a guest verse. Within CATHARSIS, that departure opens a cross-generational bridge: from German pop history to hard techno, from generational fan culture to rave catharsis, and from alternative youth identity to emotional club culture. The collaboration also lands at an unusual moment for the band, who arrive on “CATHARSIS” while building toward their own seventh studio album, ENCORE, and a near-sold-out 2026 European arena tour, choosing to step into an entirely different sonic world rather than stay inside the one that helped build them.
KUKO arrives at this single with real foundation behind it: 2025 saw over 200 shows across more than 20 countries, stages including EDC Las Vegas, Factory Town Miami and Knockdown Center New York, while his EP DIE TONIGHT saw an Official German Album Chart entry, and his global community of over 1 million continues to grow. It all paves the road for the full album, CATHARSIS, which is structured as a five-chapter journey, moving from the Damned through the Void, the Ritual and the Priest before arriving at Transcendence, with each single opening another chapter of the same world. Beyond the music, that world extends into fashion, symbols and physical objects, turning the album into something the audience can wear, collect and belong to, rather than just stream.
The release also begins a busy stretch for KUKO, who brings CATHARSIS into a live setting this weekend at HIVE Festival before following up with shows in Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Portugal shortly after the single drops. From there, the album campaign continues to build with a run of new singles throughout the summer, each pulling another chapter of the CATHARSIS mythology into focus.
The title track is out now on DSPs worldwide; the full CATHARSIS arrives September 25.
About KUKO
KUKO is the Cologne-born artist translating hard techno into cinema, fashion, mythology, ritual and mass emotion. His foundation is underground rooms, industrial sound, warehouse culture and hard-music communities. His ambition is bigger than the classic DJ lane. He is building a complete artist system: sound, image, symbols, clothing, physical objects, live ritual, community and cultural positioning. The tension is simple and strong: brutal sound, vulnerable emotional core. That is what separates KUKO from a normal hard-techno act. He is not only scaling shows. He is building belief. He gives the audience something to hear, something to wear, something to collect, something to enter and something to belong to.
KUKO is the Cologne-born artist translating hard techno into cinema, fashion, mythology, ritual and mass emotion. His foundation is underground rooms, industrial sound, warehouse culture and hard-music communities. His ambition is bigger than the classic DJ lane. He is building a complete artist system: sound, image, symbols, clothing, physical objects, live ritual, community and cultural positioning. The tension is simple and strong: brutal sound, vulnerable emotional core. That is what separates KUKO from a normal hard-techno act. He is not only scaling shows. He is building belief. He gives the audience something to hear, something to wear, something to collect, something to enter and something to belong to.
About Tokio Hotel
Tokio Hotel rose from local heroes in Germany to internationally celebrated icons, captivating millions with their distinctive sound, striking visuals, and fearless artistic evolution. Formed in 2001 by twin brothers Bill and Tom Kaulitz, Georg Listing, and Gustav Schäfer, the band broke through in 2005 with their debut single “Durch den Monsun,” taken from their first album “Schrei.” The song became a generational anthem and marked the beginning of an extraordinary journey.With their follow-up albums “Zimmer 483”, “Scream”, “Humanoid”, “Kings of Suburbia”, “Dream Machine” and “2001”, Tokio Hotel have continued to evolve while staying emotionally connected to the spirit that first defined them. Their music, style, and unmistakable identity have built a deeply loyal global fan community and helped shape a legacy that reaches far beyond music. To date, the band has sold more than 10 million records worldwide, earning over 70 platinum and 120 gold awards, as well as more than 110 national and international honors.Their cultural reach expanded further through the podcast “Kaulitz Hills: Senf aus Hollywood” and the Netflix series “Kaulitz & Kaulitz,” which introduced Tokio Hotel to an even broader audience.In 2025, the band celebrated the 20th anniversary of “Durch den Monsun” before opening a new chapter with “Changes”, the first single from their forthcoming seventh studio album, “ENCORE.” With the follow-up singles “California Nights” and “Memory Lane” as well as the upcoming ARENA TOUR 2026 with most dates already sold-out, Tokio Hotel continue to grow, reinvent themselves, and connect with audiences around the world.
Tokio Hotel rose from local heroes in Germany to internationally celebrated icons, captivating millions with their distinctive sound, striking visuals, and fearless artistic evolution. Formed in 2001 by twin brothers Bill and Tom Kaulitz, Georg Listing, and Gustav Schäfer, the band broke through in 2005 with their debut single “Durch den Monsun,” taken from their first album “Schrei.” The song became a generational anthem and marked the beginning of an extraordinary journey.With their follow-up albums “Zimmer 483”, “Scream”, “Humanoid”, “Kings of Suburbia”, “Dream Machine” and “2001”, Tokio Hotel have continued to evolve while staying emotionally connected to the spirit that first defined them. Their music, style, and unmistakable identity have built a deeply loyal global fan community and helped shape a legacy that reaches far beyond music. To date, the band has sold more than 10 million records worldwide, earning over 70 platinum and 120 gold awards, as well as more than 110 national and international honors.Their cultural reach expanded further through the podcast “Kaulitz Hills: Senf aus Hollywood” and the Netflix series “Kaulitz & Kaulitz,” which introduced Tokio Hotel to an even broader audience.In 2025, the band celebrated the 20th anniversary of “Durch den Monsun” before opening a new chapter with “Changes”, the first single from their forthcoming seventh studio album, “ENCORE.” With the follow-up singles “California Nights” and “Memory Lane” as well as the upcoming ARENA TOUR 2026 with most dates already sold-out, Tokio Hotel continue to grow, reinvent themselves, and connect with audiences around the world.