For the 26th time, the most consistent of all ambient compilations, in a constant flux of static change, is released on Kompakt. Joining good friends from the early days and reliable confidants are some new additions to the non-hierarchical charts of contemplative rapture culture.

Leading the way is Micå, a Japanese electronic musician whose finely chiseled, graceful musical style has made it onto the new collection with two pieces. Also making his debut is Richard Ojijo, a seasoned sound engineer known, among other things, for his long-standing collaboration with the artist Marcel Odenbach and the Cologne-based label Magazine. Oskø aka Max Hytrek, a multi-talented newcomer to Kompakt and the music scene, debuts with his rapturously ecstatic piece "Ar Vag." He's followed by Sebastian Mullaert, appearing for the second time—this time teamed up with Sebastian Lilja aka Hush Forever. After his surprise return last year after a 20 year hiatus, we are delighted that Tetsuo Sakae aka Pass Into Silence is back again this year with one of his distinctive sound gems. As are Dirk Leyers (Closer Musik) and Mikkel Metal. 18 tracks are featured on this CD. "Erlösung" (Redemption) is the title of Segensklang's closing track. A kind of ambient bolero into infinity. Or at least until next year...

And what would Pop Ambient be without the iconic, artistic cover design of Veronika Unland, who once again, in her unmistakable way, says through the digital flower: The eye always listens...

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: You just can't beat Kompakt for spine-tingling melodic Berlinny synth music. Snapping, delayed arpeggios and snappy LPG's. It's not all pretty though, there are moments of heft and unease, brittle shards of melody and swelling walls of tension. As always, a masterclass in atmospheric synth and tension / release dynamics from one of the best labels in the land.

TRACK LISTING

01 Micå Echoes Of Blue 00:06:21
02 Segensklang Schauer Der Musen 00:05:18
03 Ümit Han Eines Tages 00:06:12
04 Pass Into Silence Pale Blue Dot 00:06:40
05 Würden & Schäfer Analysis Of Variance IV 00:05:25
06 Richard Ojijo Verzettelung Live@Filmforum 00:05:00
07 Luis Reich Distant Ort 00:06:48
08 Morgen Wurde Wusste Längst Feat. Tetsuroh Konishi 00:05:20
09 Dirk Leyers Regolith 00:06:56
10 Thore Pfeiffer / Niko Tzoukmanis Impuls 00:05:52
11 Joachim Spieth Onset 00:03:52
12 Blank Gloss Hairpin 00:04:14
13 Oskø Ar Vag 00:04:54
14 Sebastian Mullaert / Hush Forever Traces 00:07:28
15 Mikkel Metal Moss 00:04:52
16 Thore Pfeiffer Phase Locked Loop 2 00:05:30
17 Micå New Drop 00:05:10
18 Segensklang Erlösung 00:05:55

Only three releases in, Different Strokes For Different Folks continues it's mission to release rare & incredibly interesting records with this first ever vinyl reissue of the highly sought after psychedelic classic 'Da Solen Kom' by Stig & Steen.

A major band in the progressive, psych scene that swept across Scandinavia in the late '60's and early '70s, Stig & Steen was a Danish combo of vocalists Stig Kreutzfeldt and Steen Toft Andersen. With both members also mastering a range of instruments, from guitar to tabla to mellotron, they released 'Da Solen Kom' in 1972, now widely recognised as a masterpiece of the scene.

The first of two stunning albums under this moniker, Kreutzfeldt went on to be part of both Ache and Rugsted/ Krutzfeldt then becoming a stand out producer and A&R manager in the late '70s, working with the likes of Cat Stevens, Oscar Peterson and Ringo Starr, as well as releasing a sequence of solo work. Accomplished, fluid bassist Steen Toft Andersen also joined Stig in Ache whilst contributing to a whole host of Scandinavian acts and releasing solo work in the early '80s. 

Translated as 'When The Sun Came', 'Da Solen Kom' is their crowning glory, inhabiting a hazy psychedelic world all of its own that leads collectors and fans to pay huge amounts for an original copy. Highlights include 'Sommer', covered by Bay- Area legends, The Ironsides in 2022, which presents transcendent, chant like harmonies on a bed of gorgeous acoustic guitars. The dreamy harmonica intro of 'Uafbrudte Illusioner' a Laurel Canyon vibe whilst the soulfully funky 'Endnu Engang' entwines flute and Hendrix-esque guitar lines with a rollicking piano base recalling the best of Billy Preston.

Reissued for the first ever time on vinyl, Different Strokes For Different Strokes is delighted to release yet another cult classic. For fans of laid back psychedelia, acid folk and acoustic soul lullabies, 'Da Solen Kom' is a true winter warmer and a masterpiece of European psychedelia.

TRACK LISTING

1. Legetojstulipanbakken
2. Sommer
3. Et Monster
4. Endnu Engang
5. Uafbrudt Illusione
6. Da Solen Kom
7. Elfenbenstarnet
8. Nede Ved Floden
9. Tanker Pa Vej

TOTAL 25… Another anniversary in a year that is already rich in anniversaries. For the 25th time, the Kompakt family is gathering for its annual rendezvous. Prick up your ears, here we go!

The latest boy band in town, POP VAMPIRES COLOGNE, opens the party with the enigmatic ‘Karianne’. SUPERPITCHER knows how to make a grand appearance, accompanied by high-calibre guests. His electro-pop treat ‘Pandora’s Box’ features Hot Chip’s ALEXIS TAYLOR on vocals. JÜRGEN PAAPE isn’t coming alone either, but with newcomer HELLA in tow. ‘Grace (A Tale)‘ once again shows our resident hit maker at his best. JÖRG BURGER also has a table companion, the extremely talented Irene Kalisvaart, and remixes himself on top of that. REINHARD VOIGT points out that money never sleeps and proceeds according to the motto: ’Zahl an einem anderen Tag (Pay another day)’. Our Brazilian whirlwind GUI BORATTO returns after a long absence with the banger ‘Panorama X-Press’. After careful consideration, ROBAG WRUHME has named his new track ‘Total’ and sings in the chorus with his family for the first time. WASSERMANN contributes an ultra-fat remix of Mayer’s ‘Brainwave Technology’, while MICHAEL MAYER himself marvels at the rare ‘Erdbeermond’. HARDT ANTOINE’s ‘Let Me Go’ really gets the party going again before WASSERMANN orders a large taxi and skips out on the bill.

TRACK LISTING

A1 Pop Vampires Cologne Karianne 00:03:03
A2 Superpitcher Pandora’s Box Feat. Alexis Taylor 00:07:06
A3 Jürgen Paape Grace (A Tale) Feat. Hella 00:04:17
B1 Triola Arcadia Feat. Irene Kalisvaart (The Modernist Mix) 00:04:26
B2 Reinhard Voigt Zahl An Einem Anderen Tag 00:03:27
B3 Gui Boratto Panorama X-Press 00:05:25
C1 Robag Wruhme Starsow Total 00:06:38
C2 Michael Mayer Brainwave Technology (Wassermann’s Brainwave Inferno Mix) 00:06:08
D1 Michael Mayer Erdbeermond 00:05:02
D2 Hardt Antoine Let Me Go 00:05:17
D3 Wassermann Sog 00:03:07

Over the decades, the image of Kompakt as a pirate ship has taken root in our minds, braving the dangers of the seven seas of the music market. Sometimes it glides with a tailwind through calm waters, sometimes it has to survive violent storms. When we set sail in 1993, we never would have dreamt that our journey would still be going on after more than three decades and with 500 releases to date.

In our fast-paced business, the 500 mark is rarely reached, so we want to celebrate it with a lavish 5LP box set. In a democratic process, we have selected 50 pearls from the thousands of tracks released over the last 33 1/3 years and pressed them onto 5 brightly coloured vinyls. Alongside many Kompakt evergreens, there are also some real rarities from the early ‘Kompakt Sound of Cologne’, which have been lovingly remastered here to shine in new splendour.

The box also contains a 144-page book that tells the story of Kompakt from 1993 to today with detailed texts and images. In addition to the manifold musical and graphic achievements of Kompakt, the multidisciplinary links to the visual arts are also highlighted here.

The Bonus Picture Disc opens with the symbolic tolling of 500 bass drums, followed by 50 locked grooves from the 5 Kompakt founders, looping into infinity at 133 1/3 BPM, and the ‘33 1/3 Years Loop Opera’ – in which the loops are combined into one track that, in its reduced essence, is more than the sum of its individual parts. The magic of groovy loop minimalism and the ‘art of omission’ are once again brought to the proverbial point.

On 23 May 2025, the big KOMPAKT 500 art exhibition will open at the venerable Kölnischer Kunstverein to coincide with the release. The entire visual cosmos of Kompakt will be shown here in an unprecedented way on three floors, with the participation of many renowned artists. Of course, there will also be dancing and partying at the vernissage party, with DJ sets and live shows by the Kompakt Allstars.

The last one turns off the bass drum.

TRACK LISTING

1. Tocotronic - Pure Vernunft Darf Niemals Siegen (Superpitcher / Wassermann Mix) (Edit
2. Kaito - Everlasting (Edit)
3. Terranova - Paris Is For Lovers (My Love) Feat. Tomas Høffding (Edit)
4. Justus Köhncke - Timecode (Edit)
5. Heiko Voss - I Think About You (Edit)
6. Leandro Fresco / Thore Pfeiffer - Neo (Edit)
7. The Bionaut - Everybody’s Kissing Everyone (Edit)
8. Ada - Lovestoned Feat. Raz Ohara (Edit)
9. Superpitcher - Mushroom (Edit)
10. Rex The Dog - Prototype (Edit)
11. Dettinger - Blond 1 (Edit)
12. The Field - Over The Ice (Edit)
13. Robag Wruhme - Calma Calma (Edit)
14. Saschienne - Unknown (Dixon Mix) (Edit)
15. Max Würden - Circles (Edit)
16. Gas - Pop 1 (Edit)
17. Triola - AG Penthouse (2. Epoche) (Edit)
18.Thomas Fehlmann - Making It Whistle (Edit)
19. Scsi-9 - All She Wants Is (Wighnomy Bros. Mix) (Edit)
20. Jürgen Paape - Reval 1 (Edit) 
21. The Modernist - Pearly Spencer (Edit) 
22. Aril Brikha - Berghain (Edit) 
23. T.Raumschmiere - Augen Zu (Edit) 
24. Reinhard Voigt - Superskunk (Edit) 
25. Schaeben & Voss - Dicht Dran 1 (Edit)
26. DJ Koze - Brutalga Square (Edit)
27. The Orb - Masterblaster (Edit)
28. Michael Mayer - Pride Is Weaker Than Love (Edit)
29. Laurent Garnier - From The Crypt To The Astrofloor (Edit)
30. Anna & Kittin - Forever Ravers (Edit)
31. Mike Ink - Rosenkranz (Edit)
32. Reinhard Voigt - Stille Hände (Edit)
33. Forever Sweet - The Bionaut (Edit) 
34. Wassermann - W.I.R. (Sven Väth Mix) (Edit) 
35. Blank Gloss - Coiling (Edit) 
36. Michael Mayer / Matias Aguayo - Slow (Edit)
37. Wighnomy Bros. - Wurz + Blosse (Edit)
38. John Tejada - Unstable Condition (Edit) 
39. Sam Taylor-Wood Produced By Pet Shop Boys - I’m In Love With A German Film Star (Gui Boratto Mix) (Edit)
40. Jürgen Paape - So Weit Wie Noch Nie (Edit) 
41. Matias Aguayo - Walter Neff (Edit) 
42. Voigt & Voigt - Tischlein Deck Dich (Edit) 
43. Gui Boratto - Beautiful Life (Edit) 
44. Kölsch - Goldfisch (Edit) 
45. GusGus - Rivals (DJ Hell Mix) (Edit)
46. Closer Musik - Maria (Edit) 
47. Wassermann - Fackeln Im Sturm (Edit)
48. Jürgen Paape - Take That (Edit) 
49. Superpitcher - Happiness (Michael Mayer Mix) (Edit) 
50. Markus Guentner - Regensburg (Edit) 

Hermon Mehari and Tony Tixier first met in 2010, in their early twenties, in a club on Paris's Rue des Lombards for a concert with saxophonist Rodolphe Lauretta. Over the next decade, the two musicians took opposite paths, while continuing to collaborate on two continents. The American trumpeter moved to France to discover European culture and the world cultures that coexist there, while the Parisian pianist of Martinican origin spent several years in the USA, immersing himself in the roots of jazz and Afro-American music.

In June 2024, the two musicians, who had been working for fifteen years on numerous albums and collaborations, and whose musical understanding had continued to be forged in clubs, festivals, and on recordings, met again for a duet at the TOC-TOC festival in the Puisaye region, where Antoine Rajon was a collaborator. Enthusiastic about the idea, the artistic director of the KOMOS label invited them back to his home in this corner of Burgundy to record this Fender Rhodes/trumpet formula. He called on sound engineer Christian Hierro, who traveled with his mobile studio for the album recording, then mixed and produced the master in his studio in Lyon, using the best analog equipment and his expert ear.

At dusk on November 12, 2024, the duo played eight tracks in a single, direct take on a 33-minute magnetic tape.

Four unusual cover versions were carefully chosen. 'Maimoun' is a composition emblematic of pianist Stanley Cowell's style, also recorded by Marion Brown. George Duke's 'The Black Messiah' was captured live by Cannonball Adderley's band on an album of the same name but has never been released as a studio version. 'Hello To The Wind' was created by Bobby Hutcherson in 1969, sung by Eugene McDaniels. Finally, 'Laini', dedicated by the great Martinican pianist Marius Cultier to one of his daughters, is a mazurka dear to Tony's heart.

Each of the musicians also contributed a composition: Hermon with 'This Is Our Fantasy', written especially for the session, and Tony with 'Poem For The Oppressed', a moving composition with an explicit title. Lastly, the duo improvised two tracks, without repetition, in mutual symbiosis and echo.

'Soul Song' captures a moment without enhancement, transformation, or additives, far removed from contemporary virtual technologies.

TRACK LISTING

1. Maimoun
2. The Black Messiah
3. Fireside Improvisation 1
4. This Is Our Fantasy
5. Poem For The Oppressed
6. Fireside Improvisation 2
7. Hello To The Wind
8. Laini

At the latest with the release of the albums "Zauberberg" and "Königsforst", in the mid-1990s, one associates GAS, Wolfgang Voigt's very own artistic cross-linking of the spirit of Romanticism and the forest as an artistic fantasy projection surface, with intoxicatingly blurred boundaries of post-ambient infatuation and the impenetrable thicket of abstract atonality. The distant, iconic straight bass drum marching through highly condensed, abstract sounds taken from classical music by the sampler or modulated accordingly, and the enraptured gaze through pop art glasses into the hypnotic thicket of an imaginary forest, manifested over the years this unique connection of audio and visual, which to understand fully, then as now, would be neither possible nor desirable.

Quite the opposite. The album GAS - DER LANGE MARSCH once again invites us to follow the deep sounding bass drum, to give in to its irresistible pull into a psychedelic world of 1000 promises. In the process, the journey leads us past stations of memories sounding from afar, from "Zauberberg" to "Königsforst" and "Pop", from "Oktember" to "Narkopop" and "Rausch", back and forth, now and forever.

Way. Destination. Loop. Forest loop.

No beginning. No end.

Kompakt is proud to announce, finally, a reissue of the first, self-titled GAS album. Originally released on electronica imprint Mille Plateaux back in 1996, it’s been unavailable in its original form ever since – the version of GAS included in 2008’s Nah Und Fern box featured several different tracks. Here, however, GAS is restored in all its glory, the debut full-length from Wolfgang Voigt’s most enigmatic, quixotic project.

There had, of course, been signs of what was to come. Back in 1995, Voigt essayed the first GAS release, a slender, yet remarkable four-track EP, Modern. Its centre label featured a reduced symbol – an overhead or lamp light, switched on, its glow radiating outwards in four bold black lines – a perfect representation of the tight, stylised ambient electronic pop contained on that 12”. A few curious compilation tracks were floating around, too, for Mille Plateaux’s Modulation & Transformation and Electric Ladyland series. If you were attentive enough, you could tell something was up.

But nothing quite prepared us for the languorous, effervescing loops and regular-like-clockwork beats that Voigt folded together on GAS. Its six long tracks, all untitled, neither begin nor end but hazily fade into earshot, vibrate majestically in your cochlea for fifteen-or-so minutes – some a bit shorter, some longer – and then meander away, reading the mise-en-scène for the next example of Voigt’s drift and dream logic to unfold. The material is referential in the most distant way, and you can sense only the most evanescent of ghostly presences, haunting these six compositions.

GAS feels, also, like a more pliable hint at what’s to come, as the GAS concept really solidified on its successor, 1997’s Zauberberg, and reach its apotheosis on Königsforst and Pop. Those three albums share a very similar palette – blurred, hazy samples, often of classical music, stacked and cross-thatched across a muted 4/4 thud. GAS, then, is an outlier of sorts: it’s more expansive in its remit, lighter in its mood, perhaps more fleet of foot. This, of course, is part of its charm.

In clearing space for Voigt, by preparing the terrain, GAS sits both at the edge of the forest, and at the verge of an expansive, wide-eyed future; one where GAS would become truly eternal.

ZAUBERBERG – Wolfgang Voigt’s most fundamental (and foreboding) release under his alias GAS and perhaps of all in his untold discography – finally stands alone once again and is released in the way its original splendour.

Originally released in 1997 on the iconic Frankfurt imprint Mille Plateaux, and then reissued in 2016 as a part of GAS “BOX”, ZAUBERBERG is now released on his own label KOMPAKT on 180 gram vinyl in its original.

Though this narcotic symphony is not the first release under the GAS moniker, ZAUBERBERG is the first to disclose the true nature of Wolfgang Voigt’s unified sound and ideology as GAS. Layers of ominous intensity supported by muffled kick drums as classical music loops incessantly swirl with no direction, ZAUBERBERG is the definitive GAS album and a perfect starting point for those not familiar with his music.

KÖNIGSFORST – following the 1997 release of ZAUBERBERG (KOMPAKT 370.1), Wolfgang Voigt’s GAS project returned with KÖNIGSFORST, a full length that has stood the test of time as a template for introducing fundamentals of 90’s techno into the principles of contemporary electronic music.

Originally released in 1998 on the iconic Frankfurt imprint Mille Plateaux, and then reissued in 2016 as a part of GAS “BOX”, KÖNIGSFORST is now released on his own label KOMPAKT on 180 gram 3LP vinyl in its original artwork.

KÖNIGSFORST brings glimmers of light into Voigt’s dark, magnificent forest. Melodic strings and brass are added to his signature layers of ominous intensity. The forest path is laid out by muffled kick drums as classical music loops incessantly swirl with no direction.

OKTEMBER is the second EP release under Wolfgang Voigt’s mythical GAS project (it follows "Modern“ on Profan, 1995). The 2 compositions were originally released in 1999 on Mille Plateaux, and then reissued partially in 2016 on GAS “BOX”. OKTEMBER is finally released on Voigt's own label KOMPAKT, pressed on 180 gram vinyl in its original artwork.

This reissue features “Tal ‘90“ (instead of the original A side) – a predecessor to the GAS project originally recorded in 1990 under the alias TAL, it was released as a part of the Pop Ambient 2002 collection. With its sampled strings, horns and guitars, "Tal 90” soundtracks a more uplifting side to what is typically accustomed to being the sound of GAS. The title track “Oktember” is a dense, hypnotic affair that conjures a unique vision of dub techno that few have been able to replicate.

A monumental soundtrack to uncertain times.

Rausch with no name / My beautiful shine / You are the sun / This is where I want to be / Rausch with no morning / This is where we burn / The Stars sparkle / In a sea of flames / Horns and fanfares / Fanfares of joy / Fanfares of fear / The wine we drink through the eyes / The moon pours down at night in waves / Careful with that axe Eugene / Personal Jesus / No beginning no end / Eighteenth of Oktember / The night falls / The king comes / The hunt starts / Freude schöner Götterfunken / The long march through the underwood / Trust me there’s nothing / Once upon a time there was a bandit / Who loved a prince / That was long ago / Spring Summer Fall and Gas / There is a train heading to Nowhere / Drums and Trumpets / Future without mankind / Warm snow / Alles ist gut / The bells toll / You are not alone / The murmur in the forest / The murmur in the head / Light as mist / Heavy as lead / Music happens / To flow like gas / A clearing / Heavy baggage / Debut in the afterlife / Death has seven cats / World heritage Rausch / Finally infinite

Wolfgang Voigt 2018

After his first two one-off singles "Black Pegasus" and "Day Without You" introduced DJ Swagger's massive songwriting abilities and love for recording instruments, his first album on Kommerz Records, "Chemistry Forever", showcases his background in UK-leaning electronic music as well as new tendencies towards neo soul, indie pop and jazz.

The 25-year-old from West Germany's Bielefeld is pretty much the archetype of a so-called wunderkid. At his young age the producer, DJ, multi instrumentalist and songwriter released more than 40 vinyl records including two solo albums and endless rave tracks since turning 16. As of most recently and even though coming from an electronic music background DJ Swagger's creative agenda ventured more and more into classic songwriting and taking over the role of lead vocalist of his one-man-band. His third solo album "Chemistry Forever" showcases this transformation from UK-influenced electronica towards neo soul and indie without losing its listeners at any point. 

From electro, 2 step and breakbeat over hip-hop, indie and R&B to a final bebop (!) madness - "Chemistry Forever" is a trip for music lovers while each and every song has heavy potential to be listened to on repeat. Besides his own vocal performances DJ Swagger also invited rappers TripSixVivo (London), Vitus04 (Bielefeld), Kaba (Paris) and poet Dainell Aiken (NYC) for mesmerizing guest perfomances. Additional production work came from Hamburg dance producer Speckman and jazz outfit Jonas Gersema Trio.

TRACK LISTING

1. Yo Swagger
2. Munchies
3. Off The Dime
4. Beep Me
5. But The World Won't Break Me (ft. TripSixVivo)
6. Yawn!!
7. Fat Ketchup (ft. Speckman)
8. Kein Problem (ft. Vitus04 & Kaba)
9. Bottom Line
10. The Techno DJ Superstar Conspiracy (Skit)
11. Poster Man
12. Continuity
13. Speith Keith (ft. Dainell Aiken & Jonas Gersema Trio)
14. Eyo Swagger

The wonderful Mr K is back with more edit magic on his own Most Excellent label, this time adding his own spin to 'Wela Wela', a hard edge and raw funk cut from Black Blood, a band of musicians from central Africa but who were based in Belgium. This one was never a hit back in the day for some reason but is built on a killer groove that Mr K reworks and tweaks for more suitable dance floor deployment. It was formerly on his Grass Roots record but now makes its way to a handy 7". On the flip is 'Komi Ke Kenam (Fish & Funjee)' which has tough breaks and funk bass that will ensure 'floors get down and dirty.

TRACK LISTING

Wela Wela
Komi Ke Kenam

Berlin-based Swedish bassist and producer Petter Eldh returns with a new Koma Saxo album Post Koma, out on We Jazz Records, 10 November. The title Post Koma aptly describes the vibe of this one: The Koma Saxo sound continues its evolution, morphing into a holistic vision of jazz now and soon, where live instrumentation and repurposed sampling lose their boundaries.

Over the course of its three iterations (self-titled debut in 2019, LIVE in 2020, Koma West in 2022) Koma Saxo has sounded at times "liquid" and postproduced, at times raw and direct, at times acoustic and at other times oddly electronic (even while still being made with acoustic instruments). Post Koma is a culmination of this sonic study by Eldh, resulting in a music vision that never second-guesses throwing tasty hooks and everlasting melodies out the window after a mere bite of them. But fear not: there are even more new ideas just around the corner.

Eldh's compositions and ideas merge together in a way that just flows. There are quality musicians in the mix, including Koma Saxo live band members Sofia Jernberg, Jonas Kullhammar, Otis Sandsjö, Mikko Innanen, Maciej Obara and Christian Lillinger, but that's like saying that a cake includes flour and sugar. This music is not about playing, it's essentially about how the music is and how it takes its shape, so you quickly lose track of who did what, and that's all in the benefit of encountering this music as an entity that is constantly challenging itself while moving forward. The musicians are valued contributors, and an integral part of what's here, but this is far from traditional jazz playing where a band sits in a room playing takes after takes of compositions on sheet.

That being said, this is jazz to the fullest. That is, music that understands its past but always moves forward, and is never afraid of taking risks. Petter Eldh uses jazz as a starting point, not the end goal. This gives his music edge and mobility beyond what can be contained on one album. In a way, an album, then, becomes a snapshot of a creative process in constant flux and evolution.

Opening track "Koma" is literally drum & bass. It only consists of those two elements, yet what comes out of it is an open invite, a way of clearing your palette. It would be useless to describe individual tracks beyond that, but there's a strong sense of deliverance to the set. It feels like an ending, and also like a new beginning.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: I'm not a massive fan of jazz, honestly and while 'Post Koma' does on the surface present as a jazz LP, it unfolds as more of an exercise in rhythmic electronic music, using slivers of the the instruments that are often seen in jazz. It's mindblowingly deep and beautifully textured, crossing the boundaries of genre and instrumentation alike.

TRACK LISTING

A1.Koma
A2. Watten Koma
A3. Komma Hem
A4. Stundens Hetta
A5. Poly Amok
A6. Portal Koma
B1. Mittenmelodin I Erzeben
B2. Natt Koma
B3. Omkomma Hemma
B4. Eka Amok
B5. Koma Grav
B6. Sista Dansen
B7. Så Rinner

A tribute to Country/Novelty-singer-songwriter Roger Miller, made by two friends from the DIY underground. Mathias Kom is a Canadian musician, songwriter and academic. He releases most of his efforts as The Burning Hell. Toby Goodshank is an American musician, singer, and songwriter who made his high-profile musical debut playing acoustic guitar in The Moldy Peaches. He has a prolific solo career, recording 14 albums in a five-year span.

Causa steps up to lead up the way for Boogie Box’s third release, delivering two House cuts, Calo and Cantales, in dedication to his friend and colleague Marcus Intalex aka Trevino who sadly passed away last year. Calo gets a rework on Side B by Aus Music regular Komon and Berlin’s rising Techno star Pablo Mateo.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Calo
A2. Cantales
B1. Calo (Komon Remix)
B2. Calo (Pablo Mateo Remix)

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2014 EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

- THE FIELD's legendary debut album FROM HERE WE GO SUBLIME finally finds its way onto vinyl

- Special edition for RECORD STORE DAY 2014, only available in participating stores

- Pressed on 180g audiophile grade vinyl, including a CD version of the album

-Originally rolled out in 2007, this much-acclaimed full-length debut of what was to
become one of the most celebrated projects in Kompakt's artist fold saw a regular CD edition and an accompanying 12" sampler - but never a full vinyl release.

-Enter RECORD STORE DAY 2014 and the perfect opportunity to finally present this stunning masterpiece the way it deserves.

Axel Willner aka THE FIELD joined the Kompakt family in 2005, bringing forward a new fusion of ambient and techno that fed on his adoration for Wolfgang Voigt's classic 90's projects Gas and M:I:5 as well as the shoegazer rock of Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine.

Called a "techno pop landmark" by Pitchfork, FROM HERE WE GO SUBLIME almost immediately became a cult favourite, starting a trend that continues to this day - as can be seen with THE FIELD's most recent full-length offering CUPID'S HEAD that has been lauded by critics and crowds alike.

The most striking feat of FROM HERE WE GO SUBLIME must be its sonic cohesiveness, debuting a fully-formed artistic vision that - seven years and three albums later - hasn't lost any of its luster. As a fixture in THE FIELD's discography, it remains as important as ever, with Axel Willner installing a blueprint that inspired many but sounds like no one else... except himself. Giving you a feeling of warmth and familiarity on first listen that you can't quite grasp, it's like this sound has always existed, when in fact it was the unique creation from one highly gifted producer. And it
all starts here.

It's when VOIGT & VOIGT gather in the same studio that the sparks start to fly dangerously low within this unique machinery humbly named Kompakt, resulting more often than not in a rather unlikely combination of separate elements suddenly kickstarting into communication. For their debut full-length DIE ZAUBERHAFTE WELT DER ANDEREN, the Voigt brothers draw from a plethora of influences to build an incomparable sound world, for the first time fully realizing what previous, now classic tracks on SPEICHER have been hinting at. Produced side by side with the essential Techno of ERDINGERTRAX, this album opts for a strong psychedelic narrative, brilliantly showcasing Voigt & Voigt’s experimental inclinations while knowing a thing or two about the perfect groove.

Marrying the more cerebral aspects of Techno science with the sheer will to party, the Voigtian output is an unpredictable, but constant fixture in KOMPAKT's back catalogue that brings together the distinctive talents of brothers WOLFGANG and REINHARD VOIGT. With each one being a highly prolific artist in its own right, the joint work on their album debut never ceased to surprise even its originators, who used the twilight of their nightly studio sessions to process a shared stream of auditive consciousness feeding on influences as diverse as Techno and New German cinema.

Full of nods to specific movie and TV esthetics, Voigt & Voigt’s DIE ZAUBERHAFTE WELT DER ANDEREN references the higher and lower brows of auteur film culture already in its name, where widely known French alternative comedy DIE ZAUBERHAFTE WELT DER AMELIE and Oscar-winning German drama DIE WELT DER ANDEREN find themselves forming a truly odd couple. It’s an unusual combination, but it works, as first track INTRO KÖNIG confidently proves, indulging in some sort of abstract theme motive until a poker-faced beat creeps in, priming the sound canvas for things to come. DER ERSTE ZUG takes on the challenge and establishes a monochrome rhythm pattern springing to live when chatting percussion introduces it to the thrust of Hitchcockian railroad travel.

In the meantime, DER KEIL NRW delves deep into Fassbinder territory and fuses the matter-of-fact news style of Germany’s late Seventies TV with a throbbing rhythm straight out of Thrillerville, making this a perfect candidate for car chasing scenes in Cold-War-era Berlin. TJA MAMA, SANDRA MAISCHBERGER (citing a popular German talk show) and SOZIAL consecutively calm things down for a little mid-movie catharsis, but the tension rises back up soon enough with whodunit-styled spine-chiller DIE GLOCKE (ENDSTATION WIENER PLATZ) and retro-romantic audio drama HOTEL NOKI, followed by the hauntingly detached mantra of AKIRA.

Multi-angled police procedural TRYPTICHON NUMMER 7 sees Voigt & Voigt dissecting their own trademark sounds as the end credits slowly start to roll, leading to an excitingly minimalist Synth Pop work-out eventually washed away by final orchester hits full of foreboding. It’s as if the album wants to show you one final, very important picture, and indeed it does with DER LETZTE ZUG, a short ride to the other side of reality, clocking in at just over two minutes, but carrying all the weight of an epic cliffhanger. To be continued, hopefully.

TRACK LISTING

01. Intro König
02. Der Erste Zug
03. Der Keil NRW
04. Tja Mama, Sandra Maischberger
05. Sozial
06. Die Glocke (Endstation Wiener Platz)
07. Hotel Noki
08. Akira
09. Triptychon Nummer 7
10. Der Letzte Zug

Even in the times of the internet where every band tries to find the quick success there are still some pearls out there who write and play sophisticated music since years – but never want to reach new fans via simple stupid promotion strategies and tools like myspace or facebook. So Kom from Germany released two little pieces of art (a double 5’’ cd book in 2006 and a very beautiful handmade 10’’ in 2009) in 4 years without trying to get the big short-term attention. For sure both are sold out since a while - luckily there are also still fans of honestly made not hyped good music around.

Now Kom are back with their first real full length. The new record "Berry White" won't change their opinion about music and how they want to reach people – but with these new 12 songs they maybe get the attention of a wider audience they deserve. You still can’t talk about 12 single songs because this record again just makes sense if you look at it as a whole piece of art. It’s the homogeneity of artwork (a very limited handmade book for the vinyl version/ handprinted cardboard sleeves for the CD version), lyrics, interludes and the real songs which makes the record unique and outstanding. They still write and play those little pieces of art far away from established genre clichés. You can call it a mixture of indie-rock, singer songwriter or postrock – but all of these bromides don’t fit at all. They’re very influenced by old 60’s film music – but don’t sound like that. They like to listen to Robert Wyatt, Harmonia or Radiohead – but they don’t copy them. They’re just Kom – four guys from three cities in Germany who visit a small cottage in the woods every 2nd year to write a new refreshing and outstanding record... they write it for themselves and a few friends – they still don’t care if the press or new fans like it. And we think that’s their real strength. Enjoy!

TRACK LISTING

1. Hoist
2. Fruits
3. Fifteen
4. Exobeat
5. Citrinus
6. Eightteen
7. Teer
8. Twenty
9. Fittings
10. Polyester Day
11. Dart
12. Seek