gas: box

Wolfgang Voigt is a man of many means and monikers, having engendered a unique take on electronic expressionism across multiple media - from riotous early '90s acid to cyber-folkloristic techno or the abstract drama of his current Rückverzauberung project, Voigt is a pioneering vision to be found on vinyl, canvas or flickering screens. Ranking among the most dense, hypnotic, atmospheric recordings in his oeuvre, the Gas releases have since become internationally recognized classics with a cult following, hailed as "a wondrous high point in the history of electronic music" by Pitchfork and considered "some of the most influential albums of the '90s" by The Guardian. From foggy dub techno to anthemic electronica and loop-based ambient techno, the list of acts, tracks and even genres influenced by the full-lengths and EPs crafted under the Gas umbrella between 1995 and 2000 seems endless, giving these long sold-out original releases even more of a near-mythical quality. Following the much-acclaimed (and out-of-print) retrospective Nah Und Fern from 2008, Kompakt has decided that it's high time for a reissue that features the core Gas albums, originally released by the legendary Mille Plateaux imprint in the '90s, the records that introduced the project's trademark sound between Schönberg and Kraftwerk, Wagner and the bass drum, "an endless march through the underwoods of an imaginary, misty forest and into the disco." Inside this comprehensive anthology, listeners will experience Zauberberg (1997), Königsforst (1998), Pop (2000) and the sought-after Oktember 12 inch (1999), all together available as luxurious ten LP and four CD edition. Box is the most comprehensive version of these releases ever. The vinyl features edits that were previously unavailable on wax - with each album being presented as three LP pressings (instead of the original two LP pressings), for extended playtime and superior sound quality, finally released the way this music was intended to be heard. This highly collectible box set comes with an art-print book featuring newly processed and previously unreleased photography from the Königsforst woods around Cologne, in the style of the legendary, trail-blazing Gas artwork. Box is to be considered as the definitive take on a unique sound cosmos and an extraordinary period of music. An essential outing for every serious fan of electronic music.