Michael Mayer

In early 2001, Kompakt released Speicher 1, a 12" containing four tracks from as many producers. It appeared to be a one-off until Speicher 2 was released in mid-2002, and then several issues in the series were released shortly thereafter -- a total of seven by the time this mix from Michael Mayer was out. A simple compilation of the first five would've fit neatly on one disc, but the tracks are far more effective in the context of a mix, especially when placed in the hands of a DJ like Mayer. So, for those who don't buy vinyl, this imaginatively summarizes a series that has presented the club-oriented side of Kompakt, which is more aggressive and noisy than their standard microhouse and ambient leanings. A couple selections do come from non-Speicher Kompakt singles, but the base ingredients with each track are essentially similar. Protruding 4/4 rhythms, snaking shuffletech patterns, sheets of noise-clatter -- save for the odd compilation track, this is unlike any other Kompakt full-length. Just the same, it's quite different from Mayer's previous pair of mix albums. There are no sleek grooves, no pools of radiant textures, and certainly no knife-slit clicks and pops burbling within earshot. From start to finish, this is a mean and robust set. Mayer thoughtfully sequences the tracks and more or less stands back and allows each one to show its stuff before discreetly setting up the next. His own cover of Sade's "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" is much closer to something from the first side of the Human League's Travelogue than the original, due to lashes of piercing zaps and his detached vocal delivery. The closer, Voigt & Voigt's "Vision 03," is another major highlight, making like a chugging science-fiction theme with numerous elements while managing to carry wide-open spaces. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide