Pop Ambient: Kompakt

The new Delphic record was produced by Ewan Pearson, Owl City has been given a once over by Leo Zero and Japan's best known producer is making clubland sound a little less stale. Even if they are directly descended from the dream pop bands of the 1980s; The Passions, Cocteau Twins and Dif Juz; there are ambient soundscapes to be heard in the 'anti rock' work of Beach House, High Places and the XX. The connection? From behind the curtain, German label Kompakt are having their way with the pop sounds of 2010.

The Cologne based label have been putting pop and ambient atmospherics together as "Pop Ambient" since 2001. Curated by producer Wolfgang Voigt it gathers together a mix of techno, electronica and 4/4 textures to cure the winter blues. Pitched somewhere between modern orchestral and uplifting trance the series caters for a niche fanbase that wants something a little glitchier than Lady Gaga but not as dense as the freeform composing most often seen in the pages of Wire Magazine.

After the electro-explosion of 2006 and 7, that saw contributor Shinichi Osawa achieve UK fame for remixing Felix Da Housecat and Boyz Noize, ended it looked like this influence would only reach as far as the clubs. However the appearance of the words 'chillwave' and 'hypnagognic pop' in 2009 plus producing credits on big name remixes could mean otherwise. Like the name suggests, it's a world of twisted heartbeats, fluttering sounds and dense emotive layers where artists are chilled-out ambigious entities. Readers of Transparent, Abeano or No Pain in Pop may notice Forest Swords, Active Child and Beach Fossils are as faceless as Dettinger and Thomas Fehlmann. Or just check the label; there are obvious similarities between the "shimmerings" and "waverings" of Kompakt and the terms that have entered the vocabulary of any blogger worth his or her flowery metaphor. It may not have a chart hit but you'll definitely hear more from Pop Ambient this year. Look carefully, it's probably in the sleevenotes.

This year's "Pop Ambient" is released this week. Buy direct from Kompakt.

Download a 30 minute Pop Ambient mix


Listen to Thomas Fehlmann (member of the Orb) - In the Wind

[DOWNLOAD]