Compost Germany Vinilo y CD

Review: Ostensibly, Fred Und Luna are a German duo specialising in Krautrock and minimalism-inspired electronica, but deeper research shows they're are actually two mannequins who serve as muse for musician, poet and photo/video maker Rainer Buchmuller. Evidently an artist who loves to toy with convention, Buchmuller's idiosyncrasy extends to his music, not just imagecraft: this album, Im Funfminutentakt, is a utilitarian concept album, consisting of eight tracks that are all around five minutes long, hence the title. Burgeoning, awestruck and playful synth tropes extend across just eight tracks, demonstrating an ironic flair and love for the electro-krautrock of old.

Review: Perhaps in the future, we'll eat sauerkraut pills instead of having to actually pickle cabbage in order to make it. Such are the musings that compilations like The Future Sounds Of Kraut inspire - but also, perhaps by pure happenstance, they also lead us to wonder: what about the evolution of the contemporary German electronic rock genre of the same name? Celebrating the legacy and influence of the genre and movement that emerged in Germany in the late 1960s and early 70s - but not indulging derivations of your usual Clusters and Cans - this full-length compilation from Compost brings together 19 contemporary krautrock masterpieces, with choice, twinkly cuts from bands and solo artists including Musiccargo, Listening Center, Kosmischer Laufer and Pyrolator. Listen no further than here to hear the changing tide of kraut.

Review: The good folks at Compost have put together a second volume of their Future Sounds of Kraut compilation and once again it is packed with exciting new takes on the age-old genres. Compiler Fred Und Luna features a couple of times including with the celestial synth charms and light electronic rhythms of 'Monotonikum' and elsewhere tried and tested talents such as Thomas Fehlmann with his widescreen cinematic cut' 'Permanent Touch' and minimal favourite Roman Flugel with his delightfully melodic and innocent 'Rules' bring plenty of class the adventurous and accomplished double album. There is plenty to get stuck into here for those who like their sounds sleek, atmospheric and star gazing.

Review: After four years away from the label, Tomasz Guiddo returns to Compost Disco with a cut that defies easy categorization. It features lead vocals from Louie Austin, a classic, 'Rat Pack' style crooner who first collaborated with Guiddo back in 2016. 'Pain My Heart' combines squelchy, slow-motion grooves (complete with lo-fi, Latin-tinged drum machine beats), undeniably Balearic musical flourishes (including Spanish guitar solos and dreamy chords), and Austin's classy, emotive lead vocals. Quite where it sits is open to debate, but it's an immaculately executed and memorable song. Soundway sorts Meridian Brothers provide a suitably humid remix, adding Austin's weary vocals to loose-limbed Latin beats, deep bass and suitably tropical guitar licks. It's a revelatory revision and one of the strongest remixes we've heard so far this year.

Review: This collaboration between Jimi Tenor and Tomasz Guiddo shines brightly and features a heartwarming hook that really lodges deep in the brain as 'Where The Wild Roam' pairs ancient-sounding lo-fi drums with a Western-style whistle and plenty of earthy, twanging guitars. Next up the legendary Louie Austen lends his vocals to 'Smile' for a steamy and tropical house sound lit up with Latin melodies over a shuffling, samba-adjacent rhythm. Erobique, known for chart hits in Europe and his work with DJ Koze, contributes his magic, while Freestyle Man, aka Sasse from Moodmusic, delivers his trademark deep house style. Ale Castro adds a DJ-friendly house version, enhancing the EP's overall allure.

Review: Felix Laband's latest album, The Soft White Hand, is a stunning achievement that showcases the artist's unique approach to blending musical and artistic collage to express deeply personal themes. The 14-track album, released by Compost Records, represents Laband's first full-length release since Deaf Safari in 2015 and features standout tracks such as 'Derek and Me.' The album builds on the foundation of Laband's previous work, drawing on source materials to create a rich and layered sound. But with The Soft White Hand, Laband ventures into new territory, exploring his own life experiences and emotions with remarkable depth and nuance.

Review: Arno E Mathieu's 2022 album, Contemplation, was pleasingly hard to pigeonhole, though its' mixture of warming, kaleidoscopic and occasional tropical sounds and styles definitely tended towards the Balearic. It was ripe for remixing - hence this pleasingly epic and deliciously varied remix album. Eyes will naturally be drawn to Joe Clausell's epic 13-minute take on 'Ficus Carica' - a slow building ambient house classic in the making - Mark E's saucer-eyed deep house take on 'Colline' and I:Cube's spacey, Baelaric and lilting revision of 'Insulae', but there are plenty of other tasty treats on show. Check, for example, Next Evidence's dusty Balearic version of 'Colline Au Zenith', Gilb'r's deep space interpretation of 'O Zenith', and rising star Gigi Testa's Afro-acid rework of 'Platanes'.

Review: Electronica production duo Arnau Obiols and Kayyak, who've laid down a name for themselves for their distinct blend of cultural influences and captivating soundscapes, here present two new tracks that seamlessly fuse Afro-inspired rhythms with groovy organic beats. Barely letting us clock for a second that these are in any way electronically programmed or sequenced, this fresh Compost Records 12" hears its two new cuts, 'Faith' and 'San Diago', abound in the ambered, sandy interim of a clear-skied evening, in which cocktails flow and smiles widen. Remixes by Prins Thomas and Medle & Dele Sosimi do just as well to complement the mood.

Review: German DJ and producer Rainer Truby first unveiled the Glucklich series of compilations way back in the 90s, when fusions of Brazilian music, jazz, soul, funk and electronic were making their very first commercial splashes. This reissue of the sixth edition of the series, first released in 2003, hears 14 tracks of nu-Brazilian groove by the likes of Azymuth, Marcos Valle, Sabrina Malheiros and Celia Vaz. You're not likely to hear a psychedelic acid downtempo version of 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine' anywhere else any time soon.

Review: This is a new compilation album by the German DJ and producer Rainer Truby, coming as the sixth installment of the Glucklich series, which aims to showcase the best in contemporary jazz and jazz-adjacent music on an international scale. It's the latest to top up a longstanding series, which has been going since 1994. What one might call nu-jazz, broken beat and nu-soul appears across as string of contributions from the likes of Kyoto Jazz Massive, Nicola Conte, Jazzanova, Quantic and more on this slinky curator's gem.

Review: Having released a limited edition transparent pink vinyl version of this album, Compost have now also served it up on plain black but still heavyweight vinyl for the traditionalists. It finds Web Web distil everything they have done over the last seven years into a near perfect album with musically and emotionally absorbing pieces that rise and fall in dramatic and enthralling fashion. These collaborators first linked as Web Web in 2021 and it has been a fruitful partnership since then with composer and producer Max Herre larding the way amongst some fine fellow German jazz talents.