Two and a Half Questions with Wolfgang Voigt

When you founded Kompakt Records in 1998, did you have any idea that the “Cologne sound” would become such an inspirational and driving force in the world of electronic music?
The so called “Cologne Minimal Techno" has been founded in 1991 and had it's first international peak of success already in 1996. When we founded KOMPAKT in 1998 we just renamed our several activities ( labels like PROFAN, STUDIO 1, NTA,... our recordshop DELIRIUM...., distribution..) under one name: KOMPAKT.
That so many people all over the world, since then like our style of music, makes us still very happy and proud.

The Pop Ambient releases stand in stark contrast to Kompakt’s other annual compilation, the Total series. Was there a conscious decision at the time to promote this more stripped down genre and show people that electronic music doesn’t have to be strictly for the dance floor?
Apart from our main musical goals (Techno...) we have always been fascinated by very elegiac, soft and artful soundscapes. With Pop Ambient we founded a platform for our own idea of Ambient Music as an alternative to music like Chill Out, Lounge or Easy Listening. For us Pop Ambient is stripped down Pop Music under the microscope.

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Read the entire interview on Headphone Commute