Minus 8 - Elysian Fields (2000 Compost)

The Swiss producer Robert Jan Meyer AKA Minus 8 was not new to electronic breakbeats, but Elysian Fields differs remarkably from his debut Beyond Beyond (I will post it sometimes soon). While the drum loops stay basically the same, he doesn't hesitate to exploit all the great effects delivered with Fender Rhodes, and the accoustic guitars and vocals add warmth and sweetness to this collection of rather uptempo tracks. I decided to add The Amalgamation Of Soundz remix of Snowblind because I'm loving it and I think you're going to love it too.

mp3 I 320kbps I 70 minutes I 131mb I link in comments

Beanfield - Human Patterns (1999 Compost)

The second Beanfield album Human Patterns marked a start of a whole new era for Compost Records. As the label slowly became a synonymum for emerging nu jazz style, the sound quality improved and the covers were suddenly cool-looking. The Season (with first appearence of now praised poet/singer Bajka) was a huge hit and the album was full of high energy breakbeat jazz. Take Catalpa with that massive wall of samba school percussions or Enchanting Signs, which sounds like Airto on speed. IMHO one of the best Compost release ever.

mp3 I 320kbps I 63 minutes I 146mb I link in comments

Knowtoryus - Covert Operation (1995 Compost)

In the 90's, there were some English-speaking German hip hop artists that gained some rep (Da Germ, Otropic Three, Asiatic Warriors) and then there were some who did not. Knowtoryus sadly belong to that second group and their only album Covert Operation would pass unnoticed if it wasn't produced by Jan Krause & Michael Reinboth AKA Beanfield. No info on the rappers crew though. Those who know Knowtoryus from Kruder & Dorfmeister Bomberclad Joint sessions may be surprised that all the three gorgeous remixes originate in a 30 seconds long skit.

mp3 I 320kbps I 52 minutes I 121mb I link in comments

VA Glücklich • A Collection Of Rare German Fusion Grooves With A Brazilian Flavour (1994 Compost)

We didn't have a good Compost release here in a while so it's Compost Day today. Glücklich is a collection of easy listening jazz-funk tracks with a scent of Brazil. While some names are quite well known (Kitty Winter, Klaus Doldinger), sometimes you have to take a closer look to find famous jazzmen under such monikers as Sunbirds (Fritz Pauer, Klaus Weiss, Philip Catherine) or Catch Up (Charly Antolini). This fine set of latin percussions and Fender pianos was compiled by Rainer Trüby (A Forest Mighty Black, Trüby Trio) and was the first long-player released on Compost.

mp3 I 320kbps I 44 minutes I 101mb I link in comments

Les Gammas - Exercices De Styles (2000 Compost)

Exercices De Styles, the sole album by german duo Les Gammas, is my most favourite gem from The Golden Age Of Compost (closely followed by Human Patterns by Beanfield and Elysian Fields by Minus 8) and although I must've heard it thousand times, it was fun to play it again. Complex breakbeats, catchy Rhodes-driven tunes, cool vocals.. anything you might want from a perfect jazz album. It's 11 years old now and still some of the tracks keep poping up on lounge and nujazz compilations every now and then. A typical piece of rare groove for a generation of today's toddlers.

mp3 I 320kbps I 74 minutes I 171mb I link in comments

Genf - Import / Export (1997 Compost)

One more from the early days of Compost Records. Genf was one-off project consisting of three producers which is why Import/Export sounds more like a compilation of like minds. Guitars and bleeps, clicks and live drums. Though the album doesn't work as a whole, Aachen-Brüssel and Import/Export are pretty cool tracks, so it's worth listening. I've also added Aachen-Brüssel (Hans Nieswandt Whirlpool Remix) as a bonus track.

mp3 I 320kbps I 62 minutes I 144mb I link in comments

Beanfield (1996 Compost)

See what I mean? This trip hop opus contains all the juicy tracks that made Compost famous back then - Planetary Deadlock, Keep On Believing, Charles... Check this compilation for Ian O'Brien's remix of Elektro-Kraut and if you happen to have Streetbean reissue of this album with Richard Dorfmeister's remix of Planetary Deadlock, please share with me.

mp3 I 320kbps I 63 minutes I 146mb I link in comments

Taran - Mod And Mini And Space Age (1996 Compost)

The legend has it that Eugene Taran is a sort of ukrainian indie scene visionary turned beathead but I have my doubts about his contribution to this album, especially if you compare it to another album recorded the same year by Mod And Mini And Space Age co-producers Jan Krause and Michael Reinboth - Beanfield.

mp3 I 320kbps I 70 minutes I 160mb I link in comments

Syrup - Different Flavours (2000 Compost)

The third kraut-jazz gem comes from the early days of Compost Records. Syrup was a one-off project led by Jan Krause (Beanfield) and Boris Geiger (The Poets Of Rhythm). Their only album Different Flavours is just what you'd expect - juicy jazz-funk pastiche with complex breakbeats and hot horn section. A recommended listening for summer weekends.

mp3 I 320kbps I 56 minutes I 128mb I link in comments

A Forest Mighty Black - Mellowdramatic (1997 Compost)

Same year, same label, but rather different approach - the debut album Mellowdramatic by A Forest Mighty Black is a true classic from the early years of Compost. Too bad that this collection of mellow jazzy tracks remained their only long player, or maybe not, because this is what our kids will collect and call rare groove.

mp3 I 320kbps I 52 minutes I 121mb I link in comments

Fauna Flash - Aquarius (1997 Compost)

Alright, enough mourning, let's move on to some serious blogging. Roland Appel and Christian Prommer AKA Fauna Flash deliver some heavy drum'n'bass beats and atmospheric soundscapes on their debut album Aquarius. These nine tracks will probably please fans of Dom & Roland or Photek more than the usual Compost crowd.
mp3 I 320kbps I 55 minutes I 126mb I link in comments

VA The Future Sound Of Jazz Vol. 5 (1998 Compost)

My man Flageolette just came up with another of his lovely under-my-radar compilations so why not make it a Great Compilations Weekend, because I've got some goodies for you as well. This, for instance, is another fine volume in The Future Sound Of Jazz saga, filled with some of the coolest trip hop and nu jazz grooves. Posted by public demand. More volumes on the way.

01 Chaser-Life In Loisaida
02 Bjørn Torske-Ode To A Duck
03 Nek-Lok-Escobar Blues
04 Earth Bound-Reggie's Escape
05 Lulu Mushi-Blue Sonoko
06 Ill Dependents-The Shake Up
07 Chroma Oscura-Glow Worm
08 Cine City feat. Waiwan-Plants, Animals, H2O
09 Max Brennan-1300 Milliseconds Of Brass

01 Fauna Flash-Taurus
02 Mayhem-Nasty Funk
03 Azymuth-Tempos Atraz (APE Remix)
04 King Kooba-Freakmeister
05 Force & Paul-Casablanca
06 Extended Spirit-Solid Water
07 Marschmellows-Reloaded
08 Boom Bip & DJ Osiris-Voodoo Science
09 Nonplace Urban Field-Seismic Simmer
10 Calm-Running On The Sand

mp3 I 320kbps I 111 minutes I 269mb I link in comments

Jazzanova - Jazzanova EP (1998 Jazzanova Compost Records)

This four track EP was one of the classic releases that started the whole nu jazz craze.

mp3 I 320kbps I 29 minutes I 66mb I link in comments

VA The Future Sound Of Jazz Vol. 2 (1996 Compost)

A sequel to The Future Sound Of Jazz Vol. 1 which seems to be the most popular post on this blog so far. Posted by public demand ;)

01 Sven Van Hees-Tabla Rasa
02 Gentle People-Journey (Aphex Twin Care Mix)
03 Nightmares On Wax-Nights Interlude
04 Max 404-Quiddity (Last Visit)
05 Fauna Flash-Sexual Attraction
06 12-10 Series Mk 1-All That Jazz
07 Chaser-Sides Of Iron
09 Patrick Pulsinger & Erdem Tunakan-P.M.2 SM2
10 Tortoise-Ry Cooder
11 B.Low Feat. Richard Dorfmeister-On Flute 1992 Live
12 m-Zig-Hector's House
13 Turntable Terranova-Tranquilizer

mp3 I 320kbps I 69 minutes I 158mb I link in comments

VA The Future Sound Of Jazz Vol. 1 (1995 Compost)

With releases from Jazzanova, Fauna Flash, Beanfield or Kyoto Jazz Massive, the Munich-based Compost Records became the most influential off-UK trip hop and nujazz label of the 90's. Although The Future Sound Of Jazz serie has reached Volume 11 last year, it lacks the clairvoyant quality and distinction of the classic Volume 1, so take this as a nice reminder that Compost started far from deep house scene.

01 Jimi Tenor-Theme Sax
02 Patrick Pulsinger-City Lights Pt.2 (City Of Starsign)
03 Hunch-Is This The Place?
04 The Mighty Bop feat. Ingrid de Lambre-Vibrations Mystiques
05 Workshop-I Wish I Had You
06 Vango Noir-On The Sly
07 Karma-High Priestress
08 Planet Jazz-Mucho Chocolate
09 Sapien-Gato De Oro (High Moon Mix)
10 The Deep Child-Sierra (Deep Underworld Mix)
11 R.H.C. feat. Plavka-Move Ya (Born free Coldcut Mix)
12 Wagon Christ-Inside Out
13 Shantel-Nova Sola (Bahia Blunt)

mp3 I 320kbps I 74 minutes I 171mb I link in comments