Pitchfork

Kompakt, for years operating as Cologne, Germany's most prominent techno record store, label, distributor, booking agency and recording studio, has launched a new feature -- an online digital warehouse featuring their entire catalog, as well as material from over 50 different record labels.

The site, http://www.kompakt-mp3.net, has seen over 5,000 Mp3 downloads in the two weeks since its launch and charges 1.29 EUR per track (about $1.65). While this may seem a wee pricey (considering you can buy "Hey Mama" off iTunes for a mere $0.99), Kompakt's draw is that much of its library is diffcult to find in North America shops, and many of the tracks are otherwise only issued on 12" vinyl. Oh, and also because they're just about the best record label in the world.

Wolfgang Voigt, Kompakt co-founder had this to say in a press release: "We want to reach people in regions of the world where vinyl is not available. To offer a legal Mp3 option against all the illegal platforms which currently exist. To protect our music."

Voigt added that the Mp3 shop also targets the growing generations of iPod-ers and digital DJs. "We had to face the facts-- there are two new generations of music listeners rising up. If we want to reach these people with our music, we needed to make them an offer."

The move is a natural outgrowth for Kompakt, which has had enormous success from its humble beginnings over eight years ago. Today, thanks to the growth of their online sales, they offer a large selection of electronic music. And Voigt seems to think there could be even more on the way: "Kompakt hopes to work together with as many techno labels as possible to become part of our specialized Mp3 shop so we can strengthen the scene instead of being made available to every second supermarket."

In other Kompakt news, the label has released and is preparing to release a number of 12" singles. These include:

The Field: Things Keep Falling Down
Michael Mayer: "Lovefood"
Mayer/Voigt b/w the Modernist: Speicher 28
Ulf Lohmann: "On Frozen Fields"
Triola: Im Remixraum
Kaito: "Color of Feels"