Good ol’ dependable Kompakt. Past the age of prehistoric man but prior to the invention of the sundial, humans used to use the label’s annual compilations as an imperfect but reliable calendar. Obviously that purpose has diminished now that everyone and their punctual mother has access to the precise time down to the second, but that doesn’t remove our expectations. We expect these Pop Ambient and Total releases like we expect the sun to rise and our single socks to be discreetly carried off by the tiny mutants who survive on foot-shaped fabrics (shoes are too heavy). And yet… what happened in 2013? The second-ever lapse in Total dependability coincided with literal riots in the streets! Some would say that the leaders of the DPRK were right to react the way they did!
A new year offers the first chance at atonement, and it’s clear that the Köln-based specialists in (often) soothing minimal techno are taking it seriously — sort of. 2xCDs aren’t unheard of in the Total world, but skimping avoidance was all but a necessity this time around. As such, Total 14 comes out August 18, and it consists of 25 tracks of “hits” alongside previously unreleased material. On the latter front, expect new tunes from Superpitcher, Reinhard and Wolfgang Voigt, Michael Mayer, and Jürgen Paape. There are plenty of new names on the tracklisting as well, which is good, because redundancy is kind of a risk when you’re doing this thing every year. Snaps to Kompakt for embracing rarefaction.
Total 14 tracklisting:
Disc 1:
01. Dauwd - Lydia
02. COMA - Atlantis
03. Gui Boratto feat. Coma And Hell - Take Control
04. Kölsch feat. Gregor Schwellenbach - Cassiopeia
05. Terranova feat. Cath Coffey - Headache
06. Dave DK - Palmaille
07. Superpitcher - Delta
08. Saschienne - Horacio Delirium
09. Blond:ish - Wunderkammer
10. Gunjah & Niconé - Disko 90
11. Maceo Plex - Conjure Superstar
12. Weval - Something (Live)
Disc 2:
01. DAMH - Black Night
02. Thomas/Mayer - Unter Hölzern
03. Thomas Fehlmann - Eye
04. Voigt & Voigt - Tischlein Deck Dich
05. Sebastien Bouchet - Broken Heart
06. Michael Mayer - Lamusetwa (Matias Aguayo Mix)
07. DJ Tennis feat. Pillowtalk - The Outcast
08. The Modernist - Die Fette Gazelle And The Hidden Sixpack
09. Partial Arts - Taifa (The Emperor Machine Mix)
10. Justus Köhncke - Loop
11. The Field - No. No… (John Tejada Mix)
12. GusGus - This Is What You Get When You Mess With Love
13. Jürgen Paape - Heuriger
• Kompakt: http://www.kompakt.fm