Buy/stream: https://kompakt.fm/releases/total_25

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 ‘Starsow 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.

See you again next year!

Triola - Arcadia feat. Irene Kalisvaart (The Modernist Mix)

Reinhard Voigt - Zahl an einem anderen Tag

Robag Wruhme - Starsow Total

Michael Mayer - Brainwave Technology (Wassermann’s Brainwave Inferno Mix)

Michael Mayer - Erdbeermond

Hardt Antoine - Let Me Go

Wassermann - Sog

Buy/stream: https://kompakt.fm/releases/pop_ambient_2026_lp_dl

“Everything flows – nothing remains, there is only an eternal becoming and changing” is a well-known formulation of the river theory of the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, also known as panta rhei (ancient Greek: πάντα ῥεῖ, “everything flows”). This teaching states that everything in the universe is subject to constant change and that nothing stays the same forever. The metaphor of the river illustrates this: You can't step into the same river twice because both the river and you are constantly changing. The water is constantly flowing, but the river stays in one place. Thus, reality is constantly changing, even if sometimes perceived as constant.”

„Same Same but Different.“ Always different – always the same. Chill-Out DJ Heraklit

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...

Thore Pfeiffer / Niko Tzoukmanis - Impuls

buy/stream: https://kompakt.fm/releases/over_a_god_centre

About five years after his still magnificent debut album ‘Videosphere’, Londoner Andrew Halford, also known as LAKE TURNER, returns to the iconic label from the cathedral city. The two new tracks once again demonstrate Halford’s impressive ability to elicit great emotion from machines. With his ethereal melodies, we conclude an exciting 2025 for Kompakt and wish you all a relaxing holiday season. We’ll see you on the other side!


Lake Turner - Over a God

http://shop.raster-noton.net/?pid=269

»the title ›and IV (inertia)‹ refers to a fictionalized successor of the baksan neutrino telescope in the caucasus region. at first, it has been an idea for a novel, based on the consideration that it is impossible to deal with the topic of a ›lebensraum‹ like berlin without being hit by stylization – so I had to experiment with strategies of fiction.«

with »and IV (inertia)«, grischa lichtenberger presents his first full length record on raster-noton after his participation in the unun-series. for his musical production, he uses field recordings of his environment which are manipulated and broken down to their bare nakedness until only fragments are left. apart from analogue sources, he also uses digital sound data which is likewise turned and twisted until the boundaries between analogue and digital are blurred.

the arrangement of these atomic elements results in a rather rough and brute, machine-like cut-up sound with an outstanding dynamic – almost none. it seems like that the 21 tracks only consist of a minimal set of elements, but which are rearranged in a virtuous manner and with a high degree of variation. broken beats and dribbling basses allude to downbeat tunes, let one stumble because of their arhythmicity, to eventually take up the underlying groove again. equally, there are fierce and harsh technoid elements. and towards the second part of the record, there is also room for new developments where more introverted and airy songs take over.

lichtenberger’s musical production on »and IV (inertia)« goes in line with his general artistic work, which also comprises other artistic genres such as installations and paintings. there is a mental attitude behind all this, and while the music sounds abstract, one may still identify his personal note. In this way, »and IV (inertia)« is the extension of a concept he already started with his »~treibgut« ep (r-n112), »to define aspects of legitimation for an artistic work in engagement with the concreteness of one’s living situation.«

grischa lichtenberger. 1210_08_4+ (excerpt). taken from grischa lichtenberger. and IV (inertia)

official soundcloud page of raster - artistic platform.