Back catalogue: Ambient/Drone

Review: Kompakt continues to reissue the early, in-demand works of hypnotic ambient techno pioneer Wolfgang Voigt AKA Gas. This time it's "Konigsforst", an album that has been unavailable on vinyl since its' initial pressing on Mille Plateaux in 1998. Built around locked-in, soft-focus techno rhythms, drowsy neo-classical movements, densely layered samples and hazy, hard-to-define melodic elements, the album's eight tracks remain as potent now as they did 21 years ago. Voigt has made a lot of inspired music in his thickset "sound soup" style, but there's something extra-special about this "Konigsforst", which we'd describe as the audio equivalent of a sunrise stumble through an ancient German forest.

Review: Wolfgang Voigt's seminal project Gas returns with a definitive reissue of its eponymous debut album, originally released in 1996 on Mille Plateaux and now presented anew by Kompakt on a lavish 3x12 vinyl set. This release marks a long-awaited return to the pure essence of Gas, as initially envisioned by Voigt. Before this full-length debut, hints of Gas's distinctive sound surfaced through early EPs and compilation tracks, showcasing Voigt's knack for ambient electronic landscapes. Gas unfolds across six expansive, untitled tracks that drift seamlessly, each a mesmerising journey of ethereal loops and rhythmic undercurrents. Voices from distant classical motifs echo faintly, adding to the album's enigmatic allure. While later albums like Zauberberg and Konigsforst would refine and deepen the Gas aesthetic, this debut stands out for its airy, evocative mood and its more fluid, exploratory nature. It captures Gas at a moment of artistic genesis, where Voigt's sonic vision begins to crystallise amidst dreamlike textures and subtle rhythmic structures. Gas, in its reissued form, not only revisits a pivotal moment in electronic music history but also serves as a testament to Voigt's enduring influence and avant-garde spirit, setting the stage for its legendary successors.

Review: Since the release of 2016's epic Gas retrospective, Box, the pioneering drone ambient producer (real name Wolfgang Voigt) has been surprisingly productive. Rausch is the lauded electronic musician's speedy follow-up to last year's Narkopop, which happened to be his first full-length for over 15 years. As you'd expect, Rausch is superb, with Voigt variously turning cinematic orchestral tracks into hybrid electro-acoustic epics. While some are beat-less and fluid, others are loopy, hypnotic and otherworldly, with the German building tension via subtle rhythm tracks that draw on techno and IDM. The results are near faultless, as Voight once again proves that he's a true master of his ambient art.