Various - Total 10

Despite a remix laden tracklist, Total 10 is a return to form for Kompakt, pulling back from the trance of the previous edition, and focussing slightly more on the eclecticism that made the label the name that it is today. There is something here for Kompakt followers from every step of the way, from the glistening pop of the earlier days (Justus Kohncke remixed by Dirk Leyers, Ada, PSB) to the nanotrance of Total 5 (DJ Koze, Nicolas Stefan, Reinhard Voigt, Shumi), to more recently lauded acts like The Field (albeit in remixed form) and Matias Aguayo, and that extra touch of weirdness that makes it all Kompakt (i.e, schaffel courtesy of Gotye remixed by Supermayer and Jurgen Paape). Yes, it's hard not to relate anything on Total 10 to something that we've heard before from Kompakt. In particular, on the very first track, DJ Koze doesn't stray much from the formula specified on the classic "Brutalga Square", but why change a winning formula; hell, if every track of his that appears on every subsequent Total follows the formula, it'll probably still manage to stand out from the crowd. Other highlights include the remix of Justus Kohncke's "(It's Gonna Be) Alright", the darkly brilliant "Sum" by Coma, and the trance workouts by Nicolas Stefan and Jonas Bering, a man who is simply full of surprises as of late.

Total 10 is not only a reflection on a great year for Kompakt, but a sign that there is still plenty of steam left in the old girl.