(MAYER) expertly scouts and attracts the talent, sequences the tracks, and sets the tone for the entire sound- Pitchfork (Fabric 13 review)

It’s been a long and prosperous road for MICHAEL MAYER since the 2002 release of his mix CD IMMER – proclaimed as a genre-defining moment for minimal house and techno, the praise from fans and the media was nothing short of overwhelming, throwing KOMPAKT’s co-founder and musician into the spotlight as one of the worlds favourite DJ’s and dance music tastemakers.

Since then, MICHAEL MAYER has been a very busy guy and certainly hasn’t ceased to continue to provoke the ears and tastes of thousands. In 2003, he was invited by the esteemed London club FABRIC the mix FABRIC 13. One of the strongest selling FABRIC releases in the series, XLR8R recently proclaimed it as “one of the 100 most influential albums of its time” and PITCHFORK called him “one of the year’s most vital artists, a sort of weatherman who determines which way the wind blows in Berlin, Cologne, and any place where ears are cocked.” But it was 2004 that proved to be a landmark year for MICHAEL MAYER thanks to the release of his debut solo full-length TOUCH. Stating that he took a very personal approach to this record, “I wanted to get as close as possible to the ideal of a techno track.” MAYER succeeded on all aspects and thoroughly translated as a producer with the depth and dynamic he’s been able to accomplish as a DJ. He spent the following year relentlessly touring around the globe and inbetween managing to continue his duties as co-A&R for KOMPAKT and manage operations of the company’s distribution wing. Over the past year Michael’s found inspiration in the recording studio where he’s managed to churn out remixes for many, including MISS KITTIN, NATHAN FAKE, DEPECHE MODE and his teenage heroes the PET SHOP BOYS. It’s certain that 2007 will see the emergence of his new project together with SUPERPITCHER aptly named SUPERMAYER.

But let’s get back to what we’re here for: IMMER 2. Following up the fanfare and acclaim surrounding the first IMMER couldn’t have been easy and to say that IMMER 2 has been highly anticipated is truly an understatement. Rolling on with the cliche, the process has been slow but absolutely worth the wait. MICHAEL MAYER took a year to compile the tracklisting that you see and hear now. These tunes are truly integral parts of his DJ sets and hold a strong personal relationship to him. IMMER 2 continues where the first left off, offering a panoramic view of the current scene and a hopeful glimpse into the future. So what separates this mix from the rest of them out there you may ask? MICHAEL MAYER’s mixing abilities add a distinct level of personality and charm that relates to the classic procedure of elevation and drive yet he incomparably transforms dance tunes into song like you’ve never heard.

Highlights include the heavenly static intro from up-and-comer SOMEONE ELSE (Foundsound), the Detroit-esque whispers from CROWDPLEASER & ST. PLOMB (Mental Groove Limited), the devastating disco transition that TODD TERJE’s remix of LINDSTROM (Feedelity) brings to drive this mix to its peak. And of course, SUPERMAYER’s epic remix of the underappreciated GEIGER (Firm).

Now to double your fun: an unprecedented move, KOMPAKT and KOMPAKT-MP3 unite for this first edition of IMMER 2. This limited edition CD will come with a FREE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD COMPILATION featuring 7 of MICHAEL MAYER’s favourite tunes. Those who purchase IMMER 2 will find an inserted card in their CD containing instructions and a unique password that will enable them to download the compilation.

MICHAEL MAYER TIMELINE / BIOGRAPHY

1. Born and raised in the south-west German black forest area
2. Made first contact with music the day after his birth (mother’s kitchen radio, 70s Schlager music)
3. Classic musical education (piano, clarinet, saxophone, school choir et al)
4. “Enlightened” at the age of 13 at a disco party for kids. A dream was born: Mayer wants to become a DJ!
5. Earns money as a paperboy, and buys his first mixer and turntable at 14
6. Organizes / plays school and birthday parties. Mayer’s disco volante!
7. Hosts Germany’s first DJ mix show on a local station RTO 100.6 in 1990 at the age of 17
8. First residency at an ordinary Saturday night discotheque called “Why not?” in Achern/Germany in 1991
9. Ends residency after 6 months for irreconcilable differences about the night’s musical content
10. Teams up and goes strictly underground with Tobias Thomas as Friends Xperiment Sound System in 1991
11. Tobias Thomas moves to Cologne in early 1992
12. Gains a new residency at Europe’s biggest gay club Lambda in Kehl/Germany in summer 1992
13. Lambda goes bankrupt and closes 3 weeks after its opening due to management failures, not for musical reasons :)
14. Mayer moves to Cologne the day after
15. Re-unites with Tobias Thomas as Friends Xperiment, they promote parties in Cologne, guest gigs in Berlin at Tacheles and Bunker
16. Mayer is waiting in front of the door of Delirium records store on the day of its opening, 1st of March 1993. He’ll be its first customer.
17. Five minutes later he was the record store’s first very unsatisfied customer.
18. A few weeks later, he starts ordering records for the Delirium store. He becomes friends with its owners Juergen Paape, Wolfgang & Reinhard Voigt and Joerg Burger
19. By the end of the 1993 he becomes co-owner and partner
20. Becomes a a reviewer for Berlin’s legendary Frontpage techno magazine
21. 1994 – 1995: The Friends Xperiment begin to gain nation-wide recognition as a cool, leftfield techno/house DJ team
22. 1994 – 1996: hold residency This is Friends Xperiment at IZ Club, Cologne
23. Take first careful steps in producing music with Reinhard Voigt and Tobias Thomas as Forever Sweet
24. 1995 marks the foundation of the label “Forever Sweet” followed by two EPs Bewegliche Ziele and Die EP
25. Hamburg’s prestigious Ladomat imprint signs Forever Sweet in 1996
26. Mayer embarks on his solo production career in 1997 on Deliriuma’s in house label NTA, starting with the highly respected “Frost” and “Heaven” eps
27. His first mix CD release “Kompakt Koln presents Michael Mayer” is released in 1998 on Neuhouse
28. Forever Sweet’s cutting edge album “Geben und Nehmen” (give and take) gets released the same year. FS is labelled as the first electronic boy supergroup
29. Summer of 1998: foundation of KOMPAKT begins which is going to bundle all previous musical activities, labels, parties et al
30. Renaming of the recordshop to KOMPAKT, Jorg Burger is leaving the crew in order to focus on his musical activities
31. July 1998: opening of “Total Confusion” at Studio 672, Cologne along with Tobias Thomas, a club night that will achieve cult status and will last for 8 years
32. KOMPAKT is becoming the driving force behind the Cologne minimal scene
33. His weekdays are mainly consumed by building the KOMPAKT distribution wing and A&R-ing the label with Wolfgang Voigt
34. On weekends Mayer is touring the world intensively and starts his (still ongoing) residencies At Weetamix, Geneva and Nitsa, Barcelona
35. March 2002 his second mix CD “Immer” gets released on KOMPAKT, a genre-defining blend of minimal house and techno that gains him worldwide recognition
36. SPEICHER 2, containing “Love Is Stronger Than Pride” along with Reinhard Voigt’s “Supertiel” on the flipside is conquering clubs worldwide
37. London’s credible superclub FABRIC becomes another international residency for Mayer
38. 2003 sees the release of Mayer’s FABRIC 13 mix CD, one of the strongest selling releases in the series and according to XLR8R it’s one of the 100 most influential albums of the last 13 years
39. November 2004, Mayer’s first solo artist album “Touch” hits the shelves. It becomes one of KOMPAKT’s top selling records.
40. Due to his multiple functions within KOMPAKT and his time-consuming travel schedules as a DJ, his studio time stays short and productions have become rare.
41. Mayer delivers a string of exceptional remixes for Superpitcher (Happiness), Baxendale (I Built This City), Depeche Mode (Precious)
42. 2005 becomes Mayer’s busiest DJ year. He extensively tours Japan, Australia, USA, South America and all across Europe
43. 2005 also marks the foundation of IMMER as a vinyl label, re-releasing Mayer’s alltime favourite classics
44. 2006: Mayer remixes his teenage years heroes, the Pet Shop Boys (Flamboyant)
45. Michael moves in the new KOMPAKT studios and seems to be a lot more productive as a producer. SUPERMAYER, a collaboration with Superpitcher becomes a serious and fruitful new project

FAQs

What are your early musical influences? 70s disco and Schlager, 80s Italo disco and New Wave, Pet Shop Boys, ABC, Heaven 17, Alan Parsons, Pink Floyd, Hector Berlioz, Lee Hazelwood, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Abba, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Miller Band, traditional German brass music, Nu Groove, DJ Pierre, early 90s New York deep house, Carl Craig, B12, Bleeps and Clonks, Profan…

How did KOMPAKT start and what role do you play in the company? KOMPAKT started in 1993 as an independent record shop for electronic music named Delirium Koln. For the first 3 years, I was only working there, taking care of the buying and stuff. Then I started to develop Kompakt’s mailorder service. In 1998, when we changed our name into Kompakt we felt the urgent need to become artistically more independent. We were fed up with explaining to our distributor at the time why we wanted to release the kind of music we did. They were like Uh… This is not techno. You can’t dance to this shit. So we started KOMPAKT distribution. I spent large parts of the past 8 years in building up and shaping its catalogue and structure. Apart from that I’m A&Ring the label(s) alongside Wolfgang Voigt. Since 2005 my responsibilities in the office got less, so I’m transforming more and more into a recording artist. Plus I’m in charge of our latest baby, the download shop www.kompakt-mp3.net. Looks like I always find ways to avoid boredom…

What inspired you to become a DJ and what continues to drive you to go out and play week after week? I had an early epiphany at the age of 13. I was allowed to go to a Sunday afternoon disco party for kids. That was the first time I saw a DJ mixing, a mirror ball under the ceiling, strobe light, a fog machine, etc. It was the best thing I’d ever seen in my life. I was incredibly amazed. And I said to myself: I want to do this. And I want to do it better than that bloke behind the turntables :) I still feel like a little kid when I see laser beams, light effects and stuff. I got this heavy fascination for discotheque’s technology, architecture and everything related to it. I even love the smell in clubs… Apart from that I love dancing. I love to watch people getting loose on the floor and I definitely enjoy to shake my body, too. To play music to other people is a missionary act for me. I like the idea of a DJ as a filter, crawling through oceans of new and old music as a kind of service to mankind. There can be no reason to play boring or bad music to dancing people. As a DJ you’re responsible for your crowd. You have to choose very carefully what you send through the speakers. You can always improve your selection, technique and style. It’s a lifetime mission.

Can you give some insight into how you went about putting together and mixing IMMER 2? I took a lot of time to compile the track list. I collected tunes for almost a year. All tracks on the mix were or are still integral parts of my DJ sets. They’ve become good companions, so to say. I have a strong personal relationship to each track. I don’t like the approach most DJ’s take usually, to randomly ask labels to “send some upcoming stuff for consideration” just in order to show off with the latest stuff on the CD by the time it gets released. This doesn’t make any sense to me. That approach has the emotional intensity of a TV casting. As the name “IMMER” (the German word for always, ever) suggests, this CD is made to stand the test of time. I vouch for every single track on this mix. I’ve heard them a thousand times and I’m not getting tired of them.

Where do you feel IMMER 2 fits in (and for that matter what separates it) with/from the current state of the techno continuum? It spins a web between exotic sounding techno-not-techno, contemporary minimal techno and disco-ish sounds. Towards the end, it takes a warm and mental, slightly psychedelic twist I like to call techno soul but unfortunately that term is already occupied. You may find it sounds melancholic and I wouldn’t contradict at all. But to me it’s very far away from being sad.We would’ve had the greatest party moments in this kind of emotive mood. There’s different kinds of phases at a club night or party: the seductive warm-up, the in-your-face primetime and the blurry end of the night. It’s clearly the end I love most. It’s where you can achieve that state of bliss where peoples skins seem to be perforated and the souls take the chance to sneak out of their exhausted bodies. Does that sound too hippy?

Do you have any opinions to share about the current state of dance music and techno? No.

What are your plans for 2007? What does the future hold for KOMPAKT? First of all, making Supermayer the most exciting band in the world! Of course, I will keep on touring and sharing my favourite music with whomever wants to hear it. It looks like it’s going to be another busy year for KOMPAKT with lots of albums coming up by Gui Boratto, Hug, Justus Kohncke, Rex The Dog and many more…

Discography Frost (12”) New Transatlantic (NTA) Heaven (12”) New Transatlantic (NTA) Elbchaussee (12”) New Transatlantic (NTA) 17&4 (12”) Kompakt Stereolove / Monosex (7”) Kreisel 99 with Tobias Thomas Twin Peaks / Frost (7”) Kreisel 99 Pensum (12”) Kompakt Eldar (12”) Art Of Perception Speaker (12”) Kompakt Love is stronger than pride / Speicher 2 (12”) Kompakt Extra Privat (12”) Kompakt X / Speicher 14 (12”) Kompakt Extra Bring it back / Unter null / Speicher 7 (12”) Kompakt Extra with Reinhard Voigt Supertiel Remix / Speicher 8 (12”) Kompakt Extra Touch (CD) Kompakt Touch (2xLP) Kompakt Lovefood (12”) Kompakt Pop Sky Dumont / Speicher 28 (12”) Kompakt Extra with Reinhard Voigt Transparenza / Speicher 36 (12”) Kompakt Extra with Reinhard Voigt

Remixes: Donna Regina – Star Ferry (12”) Karaoke Kalk Mathias Schaffhfuser – Nice To Meet You (12”) Blaou Sounds Die Sterne – Bis Neun Bist Du OK (12”) L’Age D’Or, Epic Andreas Dorau’s Girls in Love (12”) Ladomat with Forever Sweet Andreas Dorau’s So ist das nunmal ((12”)) Ladomat with Forever Sweet Andreas Dorau’s Die Menschen sind kalt (12”) Ladomat with Forever Sweet Sven Väth – Face It (12”) Virgin Senior Coconut – La Pollera Colora (12”) Multicolor Recordings Jeff Samuel – Bidooba (12”) Lo-Fi Stereo ASCII Edition Bodo Elsel – Fantasie Mädchen (12”) Playhouse Paul Johnson – Get Get Down (12”) Fuel Records Egoexpress – Telefunken (12”) Ladomat 2000 Ural 13 Diktators – Diskossa (12”) Mental Groove Records Sven Väth – L’Esperanza (12”) Club Culture Wassermann – W.I.R. (12”) Profan with Tobias Thomas Robotman – Hypnofreak (12”) Poker Flat Recordings Justus Köhncke – Jet / Shelter (12”) Kompakt Antonelli Electr & Miss Kittin – The Vogue (12”) Italic Frank Martiniq – Adriano (12”) Boxer Recordings Ferenc – Yes Sir I Can Hardcore (12”) Nitsa Recordings Psychic Warriors ov Gaia – Kind Of Prayer (12”) Terminal Antwerp Wolfgang Voigt – Nachschub (12”) Kompakt Extra Peter Licht – Sonnendeck (12”) MOFA Schallplatten with Tobias Thomas Paul Nazca – Emotion (12”) Scandium Records The Modernist – Protest Song (12”) Wonder Benjamin Diamond’s Strange World (12”) Diamond Traxx Agoria – Sky is clear (12”) PIAS France Toneträger – Welcome Back, Kotter (12”) Spinner Ace Records with Tobias Thomas Superpitcher – Happiness (12”) Kompakt Ulf Lohmann Because Kompakt 100 (2xCD/4LP) with Tobias Thomas Ada – Maps / Blondix 2 (12”) Areal Records with Tobias Thomas Lo Soul – You know (12”) Playhouse with Superpitcher Nathan Fake – Coheed (12”) Traum Schallplatten Miss Kittin – Happy Violentine (12”) NovaMute Baxendale – I Built This City (12”) Kompakt Pop Depeche Mode – Precious Ambient Mix (DVD Single) Mute Records (UK) Depeche Mode – Precious Balearic Mix ((12”) Sire Records Company Mikkel Metal – Lukon (12”) Echocord Adolf Noise aka DJ Koze’s Der Grundton (12”) Freude Am Tanzen Gui Boratto – Like you (12”) Kompakt Pop with Superpitcher Pet Shop Boys – Flamboyant (12”) Parlophone Records Geiger – Good evening (12”) Firm with Superpitcher

Contributions and co-operations: 1000 Miles & Running on Individual / Traffic (CD) Eat Raw with Reinhard Voigt Total Confusion on Total 1 (CD/2LP) Kompakt with Tobias Thomas Bio Csd on Auf Teufel Komm Raus (2xLP) Firm Praxis 3.0 on Cozmick Suckers Volume Silver (2LP) Shitkatapult with Tobias Thomas Amanda on Total 2 (2LP/CD) Kompakt Capiche on Speicher 1 (12”) Kompakt Hush hush baby on Total 3 (2LP/CD) Kompakt Never say never on 10 years Vision (CD) Muve Recordings Funky Handicap on Cocoon Compilation C (6LP/CD) Cocoon Unitled on Sender Loops 24-2 (12”) Sender Falling Hands on Total 4 (2LP/CD) Kompakt Criticize on Total 5 (2LP/CD) Kompakt with Reinhard Voigt Frost on Immer Null (12”) Kompakt Panic Room on Total 6 (2LP/CD) Kompakt with Tobias Thomas Sweet Harmony on Total 7 (3LP/CD) Kompakt with Tobias Thomas Forever Sweet – Bewegliche Ziele (12”) Forever Sweet Forever Sweet – Die EP (12”) Forever Sweet Forever Sweet- The Return of… (12” Ladomat Forever Sweet – Supertrouper (12”) Ladomat Forever Sweet – Geben und Nehmen (2LP/CD) Ladomat Forever Sweet – Don”t speak Remixes (12”) Ladomat ZIMT U.O.A.A. (Baby shake it) (12”) Ladomat with Matias Aguayo

DJ Mixes: Kompakt Koln Presents Michael Mayer (CD) Neuhouse / Neuton Michael Mayer – Immer (CD) Kompakt Michael Mayer – Fabric 13 (CD) Fabric V.A. – Speicher CD 1 (CD) Kompakt Extra