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

with RV8, the osaka-based producer and musician AOKI takamasa continues his long- term project that focuses on the modulation of rhythms and grooves. it began with his first ep ‚rhythm variations‘ in 2009, released as part three of the unun-series. besides his collaboration with raster-noton, he released records on several labels like commmons, progressive form and op.disc, produced remixes for well-known musicians like ryuichi sakamoto or yoshihiro hanno and played performances at, for example, elektra/montreal and club transmediale/ berlin, all in all making him a renowned producer in japan and beyond.

starting with a firework of bleeps and bops, already the very first minutes of his new record reveal aoki‘s preference for vibrating beats and likewise his playful approach to music, generating a sound that is aiming at the dance floor.

like the first ones, almost all tracks of the record are characterized by a constant modulation of chords and lines that sometimes appears somehow hyperactive, but nevertheless results in a natural flow that perfectly reflects AOKI‘s laid-back attitude combined with his will to produce danceable and funky music.

the fluent arrangement is only interrupted by the third track which forms a caesura by being more reduced and slower. in contrast to this, the following tracks present a faster tempo and an increased intensity; and whereas the first tracks reflect downbeat and r‘n‘b influences due to their broken beats and chunky sound, the later songs are characterized by a more sleek and technoid style, incorporating dribbling basses, clappy sounding snares and modulated voice snippets.

although all of the musical components are constantly broken down, modulated, and rearranged, the overall sound of the record is dense and compact, featuring a groove made up of numerous elements that are complexly intertwined. the eight tracks of the record fit seamlessly together and create a composition that nearly functions like a dj set.

the album was mastered by yoshinori sunahara. needless to say that RV8 will be released as cd and lp.

AOKI takamasa. rhythm variation 02 (excerpt). taken from AOKI takamasa. RV8

official soundcloud page of raster - artistic platform.