One Swallow Doesn't Make A Summer Part. 3

Juno Cuts A Caper

NICK CURLY - WHEN THE WILD HORSE

Buy/stream: https://kompakt.fm/releases/total_21

TOTAL turns 21 this year, and Kompakt’s venerable compilation series couldn’t have asked for a more auspicious coming-of-age collection. If TOTAL 20 was consolidation against the odds, the Kompakt crew producing for a dreamt-of dancefloor in an uncertain future, then TOTAL 21 feels abuzz and alive with possibilities. Significantly, it’s the first TOTAL in some time that’s streamlined down to a single disc; this makes TOTAL 21 even punchier than usual, a joyous, reflective, and always thrilling 75-minute audio scan of the world according to Kompakt.

As with every instalment of TOTAL, there’s a deft balancing here of Kompakt regulars and new blood. Of the latter, there’s a first appearance by KOLLMORGEN, remixed by PATRICE BÄUMEL into an astral torch song; Amsterdam’s NICKY ELISABETH, offering up ROMAN FLÜGEL’s pulsating, arpeggiated remix of “Celeste”; and CAPTAIN MUSTACHE swoops down into view, PLAY PAUL in tow, with the dream-like electro lift-off that is “Everything”. JONATHAN KASPAR also drops by with a new track, “Von Draussen”, a stealthy and lethal floor-hugger with prowling bass.

Elsewhere, there’s the lead track to MICHAEL MAYER’s astonishing recent EP, “Brainwave Technology”, which not-so-gently spears the tech-futurist babble of AI, transhumanism and posthumanism, soundtracked by one of Mayer’s typically lush, glimmering soundscapes. JOHN TEJADA reaches back to the heyday of glitch and dub techno with the gorgeous “Spectral Progressions”, while the brothers VOIGT & VOIGT, on “Nicht Mein Job”, seem reinvigorated by the interwoven patterns and funky minimalism of the Profan days. Not to be outdone, JÜRGEN PAAPE kicks TOTAL 21 with “La Guittara Romantica”, a chiming and lilting lullaby for woozy late-night reflection.

Throughout, it feels as though Kompakt are taking a moment to both breathe in the dust of the past and look forward to a bright future. Perhaps that’s why, on “Fasson”, SASCHA FUNKE seems so confident, with pinprick melodies bouncing around a hall of audio mirrors, or why THE BIONAUT returns with “Blue Sky Motor Lodge”, a song so moistly melancholy, so enduringly lovely, it’ll make you weep tears of joy. ROBAG WRUHME gets a little delirious on the ticking, twisting “No”, and then GUI BORATTO mops everything up with the bubbling, bumping glam-stomp “Wake Up”.

That’s not all – spring for the digital and/or vinyl edition and you’ll get a new cut, “Happy”, from MICHAEL MAYER, and MARC ROMBOY & C.A.R.’s “I Am A Dancer”. But however you choose to play it, now TOTAL’s turned 21, it’s your duty to throw it the celebration to end all celebrations. Let the party begin, and don’t forget to bring a party favor…

Robag Wruhme - No

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Finally getting a vinyl re-release is Frank & Tony’s seminal work with breakout duo Bob Moses. Back in 2012 Francis Harris and Anthony Collins (Frank & Tony) worked with their fellow New Yorkers before they went on to sign to Domino Records.  

The four track EP is a deep, introspective dive into Frank & Tony’s early production work with the understated melancholic vocal stylings of Bob Moses (Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallence) that would pave the way to a new sound in house music. An essential release now for the first time on vinyl, capturing a vital period in both outfits' development.

Marigold Feat. Bob Moses

Frank & Tony - Marigold Feat. Bob Moses

Hot off the record press, just in time to ring in the famous mobilee rooftop and pool season, Rodriguez Jr. cranks out a stellar four-track EP. 

Revolving around the beauty of the 133 is "Persistence Of Vision", a groovy and melodic little number wrapped in deep, soulful lyrics, customized to flow through the warm evening open air dance floors of Spain this summer. 

The Re.You remix of this utopian track speeds up the melodies just enough not to take away from the wonderfulness of it all. With some extra kinky sound gadgets sporadically added in, this jam can be worked in into any dancefloor set. 

On the flip side, "Mustang" tears it up with jumping keystrokes and faint background vocals while "Alderbaran" counteracts with cheerful xylophone taps battling with sinister vocal samples, harvesting an uplifting tune.

Persistence Of Vision

Mustang

Get it on Beatport!

Rodriguez Jr. - Mustang (Snippet)

AMORA Papago Isentie - Hold My Hand

So Good (Section 5 Edit)

KARPOVICH, DJVEDO - Geometric (Original Mix)

Tinnitus

Pars Tensa

Buy/stream: kompakt.fm/releases/total_20

Two decades. Twenty years. Twenty compilations. Over 400 tracks. Over two days of total playing time and countless coloured dots. If someone would have told us in 1999, when we put together TOTAL 1 that this would turn into one of the longest standing compilation series in techno world we would have laughed out loud. But here we are – in the year 2020 which will probably go down in history as the most difficult period ever for club culture. But we won’t stop doing what we’re doing. Music is our oxygen. We’ll dance together soon again.

The TOTAL series has always been like KOMPAKT’s yearbook and to say it with the late Frank Sinatra: It was a very good year. Our family of artists delivered a strong heterogeneous mix of uplifting sounds, from the lush reveries of ROBAG WRUHME and SOELA to the stark primetime bangers of MARC ROMBOY or ANNA & KITTIN and everything in between. Notable new entries to our crew are the Londoner KIWI with his wonderfully careless “Hello Echo” that picks up the camp disco vibes Justus Köhncke made a staple in our repertoire. Amsterdam’s DAVID DOUGLAS delivers an appetizer for a full course meal. His quirky pop approach sits comfortably between fellow dutchmen WEVAL’s abstract beats and AGENTS OF TIME’s opulent Italo Disco. YOTAM AVNI blends Detroit techno with new age jazz that reminisces the sound of ECM artists like Jan Garbarek or John Surman. The man with the hat, KÖLSCH also picks up jazzier notes in his very own big room style. Youngblood JONATHAN KASPAR appears twice, fortifying his status as one of the hottest beat smiths of our hometown Cologne. TOTAL wouldn’t be TOTAL without our permanent staff present in full force. As per tradition, KOMPAKT’s founding fathers, VOIGT & VOIGT, JÜRGEN PAAPE, JÖRG BURGER, MICHAEL MAYER as well as our Berlin outpost SASCHA FUNKE all deliver exclusive gems that also feature on Total 20’s double vinyl edition.

May TOTAL 20 become your trustworthy companion in these uncertain times.

Jonathan Kaspar - Licht (Total 20)

Buy/stream: https://kompakt.fm/releases/total_20

Two decades. Twenty years. Twenty compilations. Over 400 tracks. Over two days of total playing time and countless coloured dots. If someone would have told us in 1999, when we put together TOTAL 1 that this would turn into one of the longest standing compilation series in techno world we would have laughed out loud. But here we are – in the year 2020 which will probably go down in history as the most difficult period ever for club culture. But we won’t stop doing what we’re doing. Music is our oxygen. We’ll dance together soon again.

The TOTAL series has always been like KOMPAKT’s yearbook and to say it with the late Frank Sinatra: It was a very good year. Our family of artists delivered a strong heterogeneous mix of uplifting sounds, from the lush reveries of ROBAG WRUHME and SOELA to the stark primetime bangers of MARC ROMBOY or ANNA & KITTIN and everything in between. Notable new entries to our crew are the Londoner KIWI with his wonderfully careless “Hello Echo” that picks up the camp disco vibes Justus Köhncke made a staple in our repertoire. Amsterdam’s DAVID DOUGLAS delivers an appetizer for a full course meal. His quirky pop approach sits comfortably between fellow dutchmen WEVAL’s abstract beats and AGENTS OF TIME’s opulent Italo Disco. YOTAM AVNI blends Detroit techno with new age jazz that reminisces the sound of ECM artists like Jan Garbarek or John Surman. The man with the hat, KÖLSCH also picks up jazzier notes in his very own big room style. Youngblood JONATHAN KASPAR appears twice, fortifying his status as one of the hottest beat smiths of our hometown Cologne. TOTAL wouldn’t be TOTAL without our permanent staff present in full force. As per tradition, KOMPAKT’s founding fathers, VOIGT & VOIGT, JÜRGEN PAAPE, JÖRG BURGER, MICHAEL MAYER as well as our Berlin outpost SASCHA FUNKE all deliver exclusive gems that also feature on Total 20’s double vinyl edition.

May TOTAL 20 become your trustworthy companion in these uncertain times.

Jörg Burger - Surprise Yourself (Total 20)

Label, booking agency & online record shop

Demo submission: 
We receive a lot of demos every day. Please understand that we are unable to listen to everything. Send your private soundcloud link to: label@kompakt.fm.