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Kompakt
open-in-new
<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>Kompakt originated from a techno record store that was opened in <a href="/facts/Cologne/U2qmyGga">Cologne</a> in 1993 (under the name "Delirium") by Wolfgang Voigt, Reinhard Voigt, <a href="/facts/J%25C3%25B6rg_Burger/ByIw7dx1">Jörg Burger</a> and Jürgen Paape, who were soon joined by Michael Mayer.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> Kompakt itself was formally founded in 1998, combining several existing labels, the record store and distributor and also event organizing activities.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p><p>According to <i><a href="/facts/Grooves_(magazine)/yzuHdsrC">Grooves</a></i> magazine, "Kompakt's chief aesthetic objective has always been the perfect marriage of ambient texture and linear 4x4 structure—blending deep, granular sound design with the 4-bar rhythmic intensity and patterning that makes house and techno so club-effective".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Kompakt has been noted for releases enriching abstract techno tracks with pop elements such as vocals – Mayer has stated that "We grew up with pop music and really like traces of pop in techno music. This is probably Kompakt's biggest strength-- that we can detect these pop traces and give them a home".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p><p>British music critic <a href="/facts/Simon_Reynolds/Xu4gkpjX">Simon Reynolds</a> has characterized Kompakt as the "label that's contributed more than any other to Germany's dominance of electronic dance music this decade [the 2000s]".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>Notable producers of the label include <a href="/facts/Superpitcher/bo96yQte">Superpitcher</a>, <a href="/facts/Michael_Mayer_(musician)/oKRqTDlu">Michael Mayer</a>, <a href="/facts/Justus_K%25C3%25B6hncke/YkorDy5W">Justus Köhncke</a>, <a href="/facts/Rex_the_Dog/IkIvFqD4">Rex the Dog</a> and <a href="/facts/Gui_Boratto/4dofoFe7">Gui Boratto</a>. In recent years, Kompakt has been better known for bringing a <a href="/facts/Trance_music/hTgTGn2P">trance</a> sound into minimal techno.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p><p><a href="/facts/Techno_music/BBqWRxmt">Techno</a> and electronic artists, such as <a href="/facts/The_Orb/brB6jLFx">The Orb</a>, <a href="/facts/Thomas_Fehlmann/YhfQAWee">Thomas Fehlmann</a>, <a href="/facts/The_Field_(musician)/7z0zLtuk">The Field</a>, <a href="/facts/Jonas_Bering/Nja3A9d8">Jonas Bering</a>, <a href="/facts/Aril_Brikha/hWw6eswV">Aril Brikha</a>, <a href="/facts/Kenneth_James_Gibson/pg8vB3JW">Kenneth James Gibson</a>, and others have released material on Kompakt. </p><p>Kompakt also runs an <a href="/facts/Online_music_store/DltDotvm">online music store</a> with a weekly newsletter, providing a large amount of techno and other electronic forms and through mailorder. The label used to run its own digital download store at kompakt-mp3.net, which according to Mayer was "[one of the first] techno mp3 shops online", but it was not financially successful and was shut down after three years in late 2008.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> The company had 16 employees in 2009.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p><p>The Kompakt offices and record store appear in Amy Grill's 2009 documentary <i><a href="/facts/Speaking_in_Code/WAaNB16k">Speaking in Code</a></i>, which features interviews with founder Wolfgang Voigt and co-owner Michael Mayer.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="profan">Profan</h2> <p>Profan was founded in 1993 by Wolfgang Voigt and was later added as a sublabel to Kompakt. The label primarily featured material by Wolfgang Voigt and his brother Reinhard Voigt. Many critics considered Profan at the cutting edge of '90s <a href="/facts/Electronica/clnaT6vm">electronica</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> Profan stopped releasing any new material in 2000, but resumed in August 2008 when Wolfgang Voigt's "Freiland Klaviermusik" single was released under the Profan name.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="selected-releases">Selected releases</h2> <h3><i>Total</i> series</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Total_1/GRfPux50">Total 1</a> (1999)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Total_2/bVWRrmUt">Total 2</a> (2000)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Total_3/hkSX0QXl">Total 3</a> (2001)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Total_4/xVVT9yjv">Total 4</a> (2002)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Total_5/7VHlPg9l">Total 5</a> (2003)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Total_6/71UwEjL8">Total 6</a> (2005)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Total_7/Xk6VAAr2">Total 7</a> (2006)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Total_8/5xuJejg5">Total 8</a> (2007)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Total_9/kj39oh1C">Total 9</a> (2008)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Total_10/sUTXFWgz">Total 10</a> (2009)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Total_11/22P4Faw8">Total 11</a> (2010)</li> <li>Total 12 (2011)</li> <li>Total 14 (2014)</li> <li>Total 15 (2015)</li> <li>Total 16 (2016)</li> <li>Total 17 (2017)</li> <li>Total 18 (2018)</li> <li>Total 19 (2019)</li> <li>Total 20 (2020)</li> <li>Total 21 (2021)</li> <li>Total 22 (2022)</li> <li>Total 23 (2023)</li> <li>Total 24 (2024)</li></ul> <h3><i>Pop Ambient</i></h3> <ul><li>Pop Ambient 2001 (2001)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2002 (2001)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2003 (2002)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2004 (2003)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2005 (2004)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2006 (2005)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2007 (2006)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2008 (2007)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2009 (2009)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2010 (2010)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2011 (2011)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2012 (2012)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2013 (2013)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2014 (2014)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2015 (2014)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2016 (2015)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2017 (2016)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2018 (2017)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2019 (2018)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2020 (2019)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2021 (2020)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2022 (2021)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2023 (2022)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2024 (2023)</li> <li>Pop Ambient 2025 (2024)</li></ul> <h3>Other releases</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Gas_(musician)/XBPFKgfN">Gas</a> – <a href="/facts/Zauberberg_(album)/XGPMXq1J"> Zauberberg</a> – (1997)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gas_(musician)/XBPFKgfN">Gas</a> – <a href="/facts/K%25C3%25B6nigsforst/HW7qXxNB">Königsforst</a> – (1998)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gas_(musician)/XBPFKgfN">Gas</a> – <a href="/facts/Oktember/61YfzKTz">Oktember</a> – (1999)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Dettinger/lGCooAs2">Dettinger</a> – Intershop (1999)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gas_(musician)/XBPFKgfN">Gas</a> – <a href="/facts/Pop_(Gas_album)/KpE6amrr">Pop</a> – (2000)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Michael_Mayer_(musician)/oKRqTDlu">Michael Mayer</a> – <a href="/facts/Immer/X9V25PH2">Immer</a> (2002)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Superpitcher/bo96yQte">Superpitcher</a> – <a href="/facts/Today_(Superpitcher_album)/seVj6WqP">Today</a> (2005)</li> <li><a href="/facts/The_Orb/brB6jLFx">The Orb</a> – <a href="/facts/Okie_Dokie_It%2527s_The_Orb_on_Kompakt/bMw15Q5g">Okie Dokie It's The Orb on Kompakt</a> (2005)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Sebastian_Meissner/mV4VHUvv">Klimek</a> – Music To Fall Asleep (2006)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gui_Boratto/4dofoFe7">Gui Boratto</a> – <a href="/facts/Chromophobia_(album)/JWMAuAem">Chromophobia</a> (2007)</li> <li><a href="/facts/The_Field_(musician)/7z0zLtuk">The Field</a> – <a href="/facts/From_Here_We_Go_Sublime/yPQJRVXp">From Here We Go Sublime</a> (2007)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gui_Boratto/4dofoFe7">Gui Boratto</a> – <a href="/facts/Take_My_Breath_Away_(album)/FADWXg2R">Take My Breath Away</a> (2009)</li> <li><a href="/facts/The_Field_(musician)/7z0zLtuk">The Field</a> – <a href="/facts/Yesterday_and_Today_(The_Field_album)/4Ngezr1q">Yesterday and Today</a> (2009)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Panda_Bear_(musician)/IrFHkMjU">Panda Bear</a> – Surfer's Hymn Single (2011)</li> <li><a href="/facts/WhoMadeWho/hHl8P0VR">WhoMadeWho</a> – Knee Deep (2011)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gui_Boratto/4dofoFe7">Gui Boratto</a> – <a href="/facts/III_(Gui_Boratto_album)/4Hvs7aA8">III</a> (2011)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Walls_(band)/fAj0DKJU">WALLS</a> – Coracle (2011)</li> <li>Taragana Pyjarama – Tipped Bowls (2012)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Justus_K%25C3%25B6hncke/YkorDy5W">Justus Köhncke</a> – Justus Köhncke & The Wonderful Frequency Band (2013)</li> <li>Voigt & Voight – Die Zauberhafte Welt Der Anderen (2013)</li> <li><a href="/facts/John_Tejada/sj5F8JYT">John Tejada</a> – The Predicting Machine (2013)</li> <li>Vermont – Vermont (2014)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Kenneth_James_Gibson/pg8vB3JW">Kenneth James Gibson</a> – The Evening Falls (2016)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gas_(musician)/XBPFKgfN">Gas</a> – <a href="/facts/Narkopop/vh5mEU2k">Narkopop</a> – (2017)</li> <li>Vermont – II (2017)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gui_Boratto/4dofoFe7">Gui Boratto</a> – Pentagram (2018)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gas_(musician)/XBPFKgfN">Gas</a> – <a href="/facts/Rausch_(Gas_album)/v4eX5BXQ">Rausch</a> – (2018)</li> <li><a href="/facts/John_Tejada/sj5F8JYT">John Tejada</a> – Dead Start Program (2018)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gas_(musician)/XBPFKgfN">Gas</a> – Der Lange Marsch – (2021)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Dettinger/lGCooAs2">Dettinger</a> – Oasis (2000) (2024) Reissue</li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_record_labels/LToREUpU">List of record labels</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/List_of_electronic_music_record_labels/C8fhL9zF">List of electronic music record labels</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://kompakt.fm">Official site</a></li> <li><a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/2021-total-6/">Pitchfork Media review of Total 6 compilation</a> (2005, includes a look back at the label's success in the U.S. from 2001 to 2005)</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20100227184131/http://www.dummymag.com/features/2010/02/23/michael-mayer-interview-i-m-going-to-defend-it-until-my-last-drop-of-blood-">Dummymag.com interview with Michael Mayer, February 2010</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/Kompakt">Kompakt</a> discography at <a href="/facts/Discogs/wdyMoREv">Discogs</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Burger/Voigt". Kompakt.fm. Retrieved 22 January 2012. <a href="http://www.kompakt.fm/artists/burger_voigt" target="_blank">http://www.kompakt.fm/artists/burger_voigt</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Michael Mayer". Kompakt.fm. Retrieved 22 January 2012. <a href="http://www.kompakt.fm/artists/michael_mayer" target="_blank">http://www.kompakt.fm/artists/michael_mayer</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Plagenhoef, Scott (10 August 2009). "Kompakt 10". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 January 2012. <a href="http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7694-kompakt-10/" target="_blank">http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7694-kompakt-10/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Kiran Sande: Review of Pop Ambient 2007 compilation Archived 15 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Groovesmag.com <a href="http://www.groovesmag.com/review_detail.php?id=00000413" target="_blank">http://www.groovesmag.com/review_detail.php?id=00000413</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Plagenhoef, Scott (10 August 2009). "Kompakt 10". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 January 2012. <a href="http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7694-kompakt-10/" target="_blank">http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7694-kompakt-10/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Simon Reynolds: GAS 13 June 2008. Expanded version of: Into the Wild, feature in Frieze, May 2008 <a href="http://energyflashbysimonreynolds.blogspot.com/2008/06/gas-directors-cut-of-frieze-feature-may.html" target="_blank">http://energyflashbysimonreynolds.blogspot.com/2008/06/gas-directors-cut-of-frieze-feature-may.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Nocs – High End Headphones – Airplay Speakers – Studio". nocs.se. Retrieved 2 June 2016. <a href="http://nocs.se/pages/studio" target="_blank">http://nocs.se/pages/studio</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Plagenhoef, Scott (10 August 2009). "Kompakt 10". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 January 2012. <a href="http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7694-kompakt-10/" target="_blank">http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7694-kompakt-10/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Christine Karman (4 November 2008). "De:Bug Musik » Kompakt schließt MP3 Shop". De-bug.de. Retrieved 4 March 2013. <a href="http://de-bug.de/musik/4439.html" target="_blank">http://de-bug.de/musik/4439.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Plagenhoef, Scott (10 August 2009). "Kompakt 10". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 January 2012. <a href="http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7694-kompakt-10/" target="_blank">http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7694-kompakt-10/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Speaking in Code!". Pits and Lands blog. 13 April 2009. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2012. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120224154804/http://passionpit.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/speaking-in-code/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120224154804/http://passionpit.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/speaking-in-code/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>McAllister,Lulu (2009). "Q & A: Speaking In Code". XLR8R Magazine. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2009. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090607211519/http://www.xlr8r.com/features/2009/06/q-speaking-code" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20090607211519/http://www.xlr8r.com/features/2009/06/q-speaking-code</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Kompakt Disk, Andrez Bergen. Daily Yomiuri, July 2005. <a href="/wiki/Daily_Yomiuri" target="_blank">/wiki/Daily_Yomiuri</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Dale, Jon (22 September 2008). "Wolfgang Voigt – Freiland Klaviermusik". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 8 December 2008. <a href="http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5483" target="_blank">http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5483</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>