Review: For Danish electro-pop trio Whomadewho, 'Synchronicity' means "the simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related, but have no discernible causal connection." In recent years, they have been exploring those relationships with different remixes and collaborations, and here they present the first instalment in a new concept series. First, they team up with Swedish enfant terrible Axel Boman on the mesmerising polyrhythmic deepness of "Anywhere In The World'', then veteran Greek producer Petros Manganaris aka Echonomist gets into the studio with them next for the super slinky tech house of "Interloper" creating an ethereal backdrop to Tomas Barfod's unmistakable vocal delivery. Finally, we see them team up with Hanseatic heroes Adana Twins on "Immersion" which is a surprising effort from all parties, where they wander down the left hand path on this delightful dark disco number.
Review: The king of moody dancefloor drama returns on Kompakt. Rune Reilly Kolsch is absolutely synonymous with the label's sound aesthetic by now and follows up last month's thriller "Shoulder Of Giants". This time around, he provides the subtle yet elevating trance arpeggios of "Time" which are supported by breathtaking female vocals and roaring string arrangements which are altogether sure to cause a stir on the dancefloor. This is followed by the more subdued and introspective arrangement of "Sleeper Must Awaken" featuring Kolsch's signature razor sharp synth leads against a backdrop of strong electro style beats - greyscale deep house at its finest.
Review: 2019 certainly was a big one for Rune Reilly Kolsch; a year which saw a brilliant collaboration with Sasha in the form of "The Lights" (on his IPSO imprint) as well as that well received installment of 'fabric presents' for the London clubbing institution. As we all know by now, he's no stranger to Cologne institution Kompakt, being a staple of the revered label for nigh on a decade - and here he kicks off 2020 with a big bang. Between the soundscape of metallic textures, an evocative string arrangement and that razor sharp bassline that's a constant throughout, "Shoulder Of Giants" sees the Danish producer present his unmistakable sound to the main room for some serious dancefloor drama. Second offering "Glypto" features theatrical vocals in contrast to modular style blips and bleeps, to create a seething minimal tech house arrangement that's equally sure to create some tension and suspense in the club.
Review: Acting mostly in the background where he felt most comfortable, Stuttgart's Johannes Brecht is the classically trained and professional musician responsible for all the orchestral arrangements of Henrik Schwarz' Instruments Album. After a few orchestral tours worldwide, Brecht developed his interest in popular music studio technologies and an appreciation of electronic music - taking his first steps into the scene in 2013. His latest project for Koelsch powerhouse Kompakt is the Dust EP, which exemplifies his quality as a producer. From the lush orchestral arrangements of "Synesthesia", or "Particulate" with its deeply emotive grove that you could imagine Lee Burridge playing on a sunny rooftop, and the introspective "Matter" which is as heartfelt and glassy-eyed as you like it.
Review: Kompakt label staple and all round local Cologne hero Geiger has returned, under the new alias Fahrland and the release of Mixtape Vol 1. earlier this year. The label hailed it as its most ambitious and fulfilling releases in recent times. For the uninitiated, Alexander Geiger was a key member of local imprint Firm, who were central figures in early noughties sound of Cologne - a period of naughtiness. Here on Night Versions, he creates four club-ready versions of selections from the album, made for those that require a bit more dancefloor dynamics. From the moody dancefloor drama of Yesterday", to the deep and sexy late-night mood lighting of "Beggin" (featuring Canadian chanteuse Mz Sunday Luv) and the sleazy electro-house of "Plastic People" - this one definitely for all the night creatures out there.
Review: This two-tracker marks the first appearance on Kompakt by Upercent, a Valencia-based producer arguably best known for a string of digital-only outings on Moda Black. He begins with "Parlem", a foreboding chunk of late night house intoxication where alien synthesizer motifs and held-note chords rise above a thrillingly booming, bass-heavy groove. The track boasts exotic instrumental flourishes too, which help to create an undeniably trippy, psychedelic mood. Upercent flips the script on "Tirant Lo Blanc", peppering a jaunty, broken tech-house groove with foreboding blasts of Balkan brass, jangling Mediterranean guitars and slowly building chords
Review: For revered Danish producer Rune Reilly, Kompakt has been the perfect home to curate his music. The Cologne institution has presented two critically acclaimed albums and a now classic run of solo installments in their Speicher series. He's taken his brand of techno craftsmanship; honed since the mid noughties under respected aliases such as Ink & Needle - on what the label best describe themselves as 'a melodic, emotive and even autobiographical course without losing any of its punch and quirkiness.' Taken from his new opus entitled 1989, Kolsch serves up the powerful new single "Liath". It's an evocative and life affirming track geared for some right dancefloor drama with its powerful, Derrick May style strings section and razor sharp arpeggiations ticking all the right boxes.
Review: Dutch duo Weval's eponymous debut album was arguably one of the most underrated records of 2016. Here, tracks from that hard-to-define set - think minimal wave-inspired synth-pop fused with ambient and elements of Detroit futurism - are given the remix treatment. Italian twosome Margot steps up first, delivering a version of "Ways To Go" that smothers a wonky, off-kilter drum pattern with woozy, stretched-out cathedral chords, tactile hand percussion, and atmospheric vocal snippets. Red Axes drag the same track towards the dancefloor via relentless bass, skittish drum machine percussion and delay-laden handclaps, before Kaspar Bjorke steals the show with a dewy-eyed, early morning Balearic house re-make of "You Are Mine".
Review: The man Wolfgang Voight provided some inventive and pioneering techno under his Wassermann guise, one of many. "W.I.R." was released in 2000 and was a driving serving of pop-inflected techno. Frankfurt techno legend Sven Vath also stepped in, assisted by Roman Flugel, to deliver a grinding industrial techno remix that these days could easily be compared to the work of Ancient Methods. Kompakt Records alumni Tobias Thomas and Michael Mayer's remix however is by far the best and encapsulated the label's timeless aesthetic on this wonderful excursion through emotive and ethereal house sounds.
Review: While you could hardly say it was a hyped release, Blond:Ish's 2015 debut album, Welcome To The Present, picked up plenty of plaudits for its' alluring mix of tech-house tropes, Balearic intent and downtempo grooves. Six months after it hit stores, Kompakt has put together this dancefloor-leaning remix package. There's much to admire, from the tech-house-goes-to-Africa shuffle of Damien K's rework of "Jupiter & Jaguar", to the humid, ethnic stroll of San Proper's typically eccentric version of "Lucyas Affair". Best of all, though, is the previously unheard "Laberinto", a near 12-minute collaboration with Bahramji that effortlessly joins the dots between tactile tech-house, new wave, and the intoxicating aroma of the Middle East.
Review: Legends of German electronica Terranova are back and showcasing their ever evolving style again for Kompakt. Munich Machine himself DJ Hell lends a remix to "Kepler 186F" which is a dark melodic journey track that will no doubt fit in with the current status quo of popular dance music with its humming bassline, pulsating 'whoops' and sharp synth leads. The Kepler remix of "Uchu No Inu" sounds like a dark version of Miami legends Murk or Funky Green Dogs: an anthem for the black beach perhaps? There's an acappella of it too which despite what it may seem, focuses on the sinister sound design of the track and will make an experimental DJ tool or one hell of a creepy intro track!
Review: Tech house titan Maceo Plex makes the move to Kompakt once again after storming the German institution with the Conjure Superstar release last year. This time around he has some assistance in the shape of Car, and between them they shape out the seductive, moody tones of "Mirror Me". The track comes in two forms, with Car dropping some unsettling robotic vocal turns on the "Extended Original" version in a perfect channeling of electro clash posturing, while Maceo's own "Dark Dub" strips back the bulbous melodics and pushes the techno intensity up. Whichever mix tickles your fancy more, there's no doubt the Plex machine has once again delivered the goods for the big room experience.
Review: Kompakt are the unchallenged masters of sensual, atmospheric electronic dance music with a poppy twist and new signing Elijah Simmons was clearly destined for this label. Apparently someone with something for star signs, "Pisces" is a sublime seven-minute trip featuring a cool, rolling beat with suspended washes of synth pads and flickering effects that drift in and out with hypnotic beauty. If you're still conscious after that, then "Scorpi" is the sting in the tail that'll wake you up; a slow builder that evolves from trance to snarl over the course of eight minutes.
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