Speicher 1-10
A download guide .... by Andy Kellman and allmusic. All releases available at Kompakt website.

Speicher 1 (+++)
Review by Andy Kellman
Speicher 1 is a various-artists 12" from Kompakt with tracks from Jürgen Paape, M. Mayer, Superpitcher, and Auftrieb. Pinning down Kompakt's sound is difficult enough based only on the label's diverse stable of producers, and the task becomes downright impossible when some of those producers come up with new sounds for each track that they make. This release is emblematic of that fact. Superpitcher's nervous "Grace" and Paape's kinetic "Ballroom Blitz" (not a Sweet cover) are pleasant but not spectacular dance tracks, while Auftrieb's stomping "Strang" is one of those "shuffle tech" numbers that unleashes an abrasive, alienating groove. (If a video game featured a serpent spiked with prickers across its tail end, this would be the sound it would make as it attacks.) M. Mayer's low-key "Capiche" offers some respite, but it's not exactly up to the man's standard.

Speicher 2 (+++)
Review by Andy Kellman
Where the content of Kompakt's Speicher 1 was split between four producers, Speicher 2 is a shared release between two noted German producers: M. Mayer and Reinhard Voigt. Mayer's A-side is a cover of Sade's "Love Is Stronger Than Pride," turning the Nigerian diva's original into an up-tempo tech-house track with vocals that are rhythmically spoken (and heavily echoed) rather than sung. It isn't a joke — at least it doesn't sound like one. Given the simplistic but meaningful lyrics, many could be tricked into thinking it's a reworking of a lost Chicago house classic from the late '80s. Voigt's "Supertiel" is just as strong as anything from his full-length for Kompakt, speeding by at a rapid velocity with immaculate production flourishes. Despite the fact that this 12" has half as many tracks as Speicher 1, its value practically dwarfs its predecessor.

Speicher 3 (+++)
Review by Andy Kellman
The third in Kompakt's Speicher series brings the brothers Voigt — Reinhard and Wolfgang — together for a pair of collaborative productions. While most of Wolfgang's output of late (as Tal, Mint, All, and Gas) has been mostly ambient and often beat-free, these two tracks are aggro 4/4 club tracks that have more in common with his sib's productions for Kompakt. "Korn" is a dirty and sleazy dancefloor groove with dense layers of noise and rhythm — save for a couple moments where the track is whittled to only a couple elements, the primary beat is easy to lose within the mix. The lengthy "Roxy" isn't nearly as dark, with moody synth tones and an eerie vocal sample stretched over the top of relatively slinky polyrhythms. [Note to Kompakt phreeks: The version of "Roxy" on the Total 4 CD is an edit that trims nearly three minutes of the original found here.]

Speicher 4 (+++)
Review by Andy Kellman
Kompakt's fourth Speicher 12" is a split between Superpitcher (Aksel Schaufler) and Wasserman (Reinhard Voigt). Both producers deliver a single track of nasty floor-burning techno. Voigt comes out on top with "Spring," a nearly anthemic track with pumping beats and escalating synth notes shooting off at a blistering pace. Superpitcher's "Irre" isn't quite as great — it's a little more complex and veers toward abrasive shuffle-tech without being off-putting. A number of rhythmic devices give the track a galloping edge. Both tracks here fit in well with the remainder of the Speicher series, which has favored aggressive techno over Kompakt's numerous other sounds (lush house, wispy ambient, melodic dance-pop, etc.).

Speicher 5 (++++)
Review by Andy Kellman
At this point, Kompakt's split-producer Speicher series might as well be considered a sub-label, since it tends to favor the more aggressive side of the label's output. This fifth one brings Reinhard and Wolfgang Voigt together again, but unlike the collaborations of Speicher 3, this features a solo production from each Voigt. The furious "Dorn" is one of Reinhard's best blazing techno tracks, with numerous intricately woven elements. As strong as that is, Wolfgang wins out with "Vision 3," a brilliant sci-fi house production that manages to cram all sorts of sounds into it while retaining wide-open spaces. If Wolfgang releases another batch of tracks in this vein that are nearly as strong, his label just might outdo itself. Speicher 5 is the best of the series thus far, hands down.

Speicher 6 (+++)
Review by Andy Kellman
This installment in Kompakt's Speicher series is a showcase for Superpitcher's talents as both a producer and a remixer. Pop group Quarks' "I Walk" gets an infectious shuffle-tech makeover, the bopping beat and the sing-songy female vocals striking a colorful, playful chord. Superpitcher's own production, "Fieber," isn't merely one of the Speicher series' best; it's one of the best the Kompakt label as a whole has released. And it's not even the pinpoint-perfect beat programming that sticks out — the track's greatness has a lot more to do with the robust clusters of keyboard melodies, which are so thick that they also function as the bass line. If someone attempts to pigeonhole Kompakt as a microhouse label, put this one on.

Speicher 7 (++++)
Review by Andy Kellman
The seventh Speicher features two Kompakt vets, Reinhard Voigt and Michael Mayer. The two co-produce a pair of tracks, both of which rate near the top of the series' heap. "Unter Null" is a shuffling stomper with a recurring alien melody that could've been swiped from a low-budget '70s sci-fi flick. The beat is propulsive but never assaultive. The B-side, "Bring It Back," is even more fleet of foot, a swift dancefloor track with swarming effects — and a clipped vocal sample that echoes the title — encased in light gauze. This is definitely one of the strongest Speicher releases thus far, with exceptional work from both parties.

Speicher 8 (++)
Review by Andy Kellman
Speicher 8 is a split 12" shared by Joachim Spieth and Michael Mayer. Two minutes in, Spieth's "Under Pressure" seems like it would've been at home on Kompakt's first Schaffelfieber compilation; it eventually develops into something more palatable for the dancefloor, though it would probably work best in a set as a de-emphasized bridge between two tracks. The B-side is credited to Mayer, even though it's a remix of Reinhard Voigt's "Supertiel" (off Speicher 2). Mayer's take is unnecessarily busy, and not nearly as effective as the original, with nearly every space plugged up by a noise of some sort. Skippable.

Speicher 9 (++)
Review by Andy Kellman
This marks the first time Kompakt has gone outside their immediate circle for a contributor to the Speicher series. Canadian producer Jake Fairley pitches in with "Motor," a track that fits perfectly into the Speicher scheme without resembling anything the series has spawned previously. It's more smacking than banging, and it hits with an aggressive, unpleasant force. "Hysteria" is substandard Superpitcher that never quite gets off the ground. The tempo is slower than usual for him, and the keyboard vamps just kind of lull you into submission. Neither Fairley fans nor Superpitcher fans should feel obligated to pick this up.

Speicher 10 (++++)
Review by Andy Kellman
Wolfgang and Reinhard Voigt prove to be up to the challenge of retaining the championship belt of the club-oriented Speicher series on this, the tenth release on Kompakt Extra. As on Speicher 5, the two tracks here are co-productions from the brothers. Both are as indispensable as anything else in the series, and both make strong cases for modern-day acid trance. "Was du Willst," the ten-minute A-side, is the greater draw of the two tracks, with euphoric trance melodies offset by anxious, ominous textures. "Vision 04" isn't quite on the level of Speicher 5's "Vision 03," but the ghosts of late-'80s Chicago house would no doubt put it to use.