BnB Review: Pop Ambient 2012 (Kompakt)
Written by Youri Jozee
Downtempo - The beloved German label presents the latest edition in their annual ambient series, collecting ten of its best tracks from its downtempo catalog.
Kompakt has become somewhat of an authority when it comes to spacious, sensitive ambient music. The label, owned and operated by Wolfgang Voigt, Michael Mayer and Jürgen Paape’s, has been releasing minimal house and techno for years, while its annual Pop Ambient compilation have garnered the label a following amongst fans of synth-driven downtempo tunage. Pop Ambient 2012 has become another excellent overview of incredibly lush electronica and ambient, gently moving from cold, thick walls of synth fuzz to more lighthearted and warmer tracks.
Mohn’s Manifesto opens the album with a somewhat unusual mix of distorted fuzz and an overall very haunting theme, after which Superpitcher’s dreamy Jackson tune adds a bit of melancholy in the form of a minimally structured flow of sounds. Although each composition is no less than stunning and catering to a different aspect of the human emotional spectrum, some of the tracks on this compilation manage to crawl even deeper under the skin, piercing the soul with abstract textures and touches of absolute beauty. A good example of such a track is The Visitor’s Bureau by Magazine, which merges orchestral strings to desolate sounding pads in the background, thereby creating a semi epic masterpiece tailored for lonely nights. The same applies to Simon Scott’s For Martha, a ‘sad’ song that seems to be written for the broken hearted and guilt-ridden.
Our verdict:
Although the Pop Ambient compilations have become synonymous for the very best in electronic ambient, this 2012 edition is by far the very best in the series to date. In ways it is darker than its predecessors, as most of its content sounds like the kind of music that effectively caters to the soul when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. It makes this compilation a stunning trip through blossoming soundscapes, and a must-have for fans of quality downtempo electronica.
Rating: 8.7/10
Label: Kompakt
Release date: January 30th, 2012
Tracklist
1. Mohn - Manifesto
2. Superpitcher - Jackson
3. Morek - Pan
4. Magazine - The Visitor's Bureau (Magazine Edit)
5. Triola - Richmodis
6. Wolfgang Voigt - Rückverzauberung 5
7. bvdub - Your Loyalty Lies Long Forgotten
8. Marsen Jules - Swans Reflecting Elephants
9. Simon Scott - For Martha
10. Loops Of Your Heart - Riding The Bikes
