Techno can be a pretty intimidating genre.  I mean, what is techno anyways?  Is techno electronic?  Is techno dance?  Is techno club?  A reliable voice of reason amongst all the confusion is the Kompakt label.  They’ve been around for 11 years and in that time have fostered a world-class roster stretching from Germany to Brazil to Japan.  For ten years they’ve been releasing their annual Total compilation.

This year’s Total 10 (digi out now, vinyl on import) features tracks from The Field, Thomas/Mayer, and the insanely beautiful track ‘Heart’s A Mess (Supermayer remix)’ by Gotye.  Pitchfork also has a neat interview with label founder Michael Mayer which includes an exclusive (and free mix).  So, be brave, venture forth, and discover some techno.