Compact
Kompakt is a Cologne-based independent electronic music label and direct-to-consumer record retailer founded in 1993, selling vinyl, CDs, digital downloads, and limited art editions through its own webshop while offering distribution and artist booking services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersKöln, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Compact does
Kompakt is a Cologne, Germany-based independent electronic music label and direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform founded in 1993. The company is structured as a German civil law partnership (GbR) under the legal name "Kompakt Mayer Paape Voigt GbR," indicating co-ownership among its four founding partners: Wolfgang Voigt, Jürgen Paape, Michael Mayer, and Reinhard Voigt. Kompakt operates a portfolio of sub-labels (including Kompakt, Kompakt Extra, Magazine, and the Pop Ambient series), releases music from artists such as GAS (Wolfgang Voigt), DJ Koze, and Monolake, and runs distribution services for third-party labels through its webshop.
The company's core technology stack consists of an e-commerce webshop at kompakt.fm powered by SendOwl for transaction processing, with AWS S3 hosting media assets including album artwork and digital audio files. Digital downloads are offered in MP3 format (320 Kbps CBR via LAME encoder) and AIFF (master quality with album artwork and full metadata tags). The platform supports physical product fulfillment (vinyl LPs, 12" singles, 7" records, CDs, and limited art editions) alongside digital delivery globally.
Kompakt generates revenue through five distinct streams: physical record sales (vinyl LPs priced €14.50–€35.90, with limited editions up to €239.00), digital music downloads (€7.00 + VAT per album), artist booking services for live performances, music distribution services for external artists and labels, and merchandise sales. Pricing is in Euros with VAT-inclusive options for EU customers. The company operates primarily as a direct-to-consumer retailer targeting electronic music enthusiasts, vinyl collectors, DJs, and ambient music listeners, with a horizontal segmentation approach and no disclosed enterprise clients.
Compact firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Compact
- Legal name
- Kompakt Mayer Paape Voigt GbR
- Website
- https://kompakt.fm
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kompakt is a Cologne-based independent electronic music label and direct-to-consumer record retailer founded in 1993, selling vinyl, CDs, digital downloads, and limited art editions through its own webshop while offering distribution and artist booking services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Compact industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Record Label
- NAICS
- Record Production and Distribution (512250), Music Publishers (51223)
- SIC
- Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652), Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Music Aggregators & DIY Distribution Platforms (MPAIAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Live Music Booking (Bands, Soloists, DJs) (HSACAHAA), Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB)
Keywords
Where Compact is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Köln
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Compact business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Physical Record Sales: One-time sales of vinyl records, LPs, and CDs through the company's e-commerce platform.
- Digital Music Downloads: Sale of MP3 and AIFF digital files at 320 Kbps and master quality respectively.
- Artist Booking Services: Artist booking services for live performances and events.
- Distribution Services: Music distribution services for artists through their distribution division.
- Merchandise: Sale of artist merchandise and related products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Digital Albums (MP3/AIFF) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vinyl Records (LPs, 12", 7") |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CD Releases |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Limited Art Editions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Compact product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kompakt is a Cologne-based independent electronic music label that produces, releases, and sells music across multiple sub-imprints including Kompakt, Kompakt Extra, Magazine, and Pop Ambient. The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce webshop (kompakt.fm) selling vinyl records, CDs, digital downloads in MP3 and AIFF formats, merchandise, and limited art editions, while also providing music distribution services for other labels and artist booking for live performances.
Product overview
Kompakt is a German electronic music label and online record store offering a unified platform that combines retail (webshop/record store), music distribution, and artist booking services. The core offerings include the Kompakt Label (producing releases from artists like GAS), a physical and digital record store (selling vinyl, CDs, and digital downloads), distribution services, and artist booking. The company operates primarily as a music retail and label platform with no AI or API products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Vinyl Records Physical vinyl music releases including LPs, 12-inch singles, and 7-inch singles sold directly to consumers. Standard releases are priced from €14.50 to €35.90, with limited art editions reaching €239.00.
- CD Releases Compact disc album releases priced around €17-19, sold alongside vinyl releases through the Kompakt webshop.
- Digital Music Downloads (MP3/AIFF) Digital music files offered in MP3 format (320 Kbps CBR using LAME encoder, with some older releases at 224 Kbps) and AIFF format (original master quality with album artwork and full tags), priced at €7.00 + VAT per album.
- Limited Art Editions Limited edition art releases with special packaging priced between €189.00 and €239.00, targeted at collectors seeking exclusive physical formats beyond standard vinyl and CD.
- Music Distribution Services B2B music distribution services for artists and independent labels, making their releases available through the Kompakt platform to the label's established customer base.
- Artist Booking Services Booking services for Kompakt roster artists at live performances, club nights, and festivals, provided to event promoters and venue operators.
- Artist Merchandise Artist-branded merchandise and related products sold alongside music releases through the Kompakt webshop.
Companies that use Compact
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Compact technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Compact partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Compact competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Warp Records: UK-based independent electronic and experimental music label with a multi-decade catalog and direct-to-consumer store. Directly comparable to Kompakt as a founder-led indie electronic label serving collectors with vinyl, digital, and limited editions.
- Ninja Tune: Independent London-based electronic music label with a strong direct-to-consumer store and adjacent booking/distribution operations. Closely mirrors Kompakt's integrated label-retail-distribution model in the electronic/beat music space.
- Cocoon Recordings: Frankfurt-based independent electronic music label founded around Sven Väth, focused on techno and house with event/booking operations. Directly comparable as a German founder-led electronic label with vinyl-led releases and event-driven brand.
- Innervisions: Berlin-based independent electronic music label founded by Dixon, Âme and Kristian Beyer, focused on house and techno. Comparable to Kompakt as a Berlin-adjacent founder-led electronic label with a curated sub-label imprint structure.
- Tresor Records: Berlin-based independent electronic label with deep techno catalog and ties to the Tresor club ecosystem. Comparable to Kompakt as a heritage German electronic label combining label and venue/booking culture.
- BPitch Control: Berlin-based independent electronic label founded by Ellen Allien, releasing techno and house. Comparable to Kompakt as another Berlin/German indie electronic label competing in the same artist pool and collector vinyl market.
- !K7 Records: Berlin-based independent label famous for the DJ-Kicks series and artist booking (K7 Booking). The single closest peer to Kompakt given shared German base, artist booking arm, and integrated label-retail-booking structure.
- Ostgut Ton: Berlin-based independent label affiliated with Berghain/Panorama Bar, releasing techno and house with strong vinyl focus. Comparable to Kompakt as a club-rooted European electronic label emphasizing collector-grade physical releases.
- R&S Records: Belgian independent electronic label with a heritage catalog and modern reissue program. Comparable to Kompakt as a European heritage electronic label operating across vinyl, digital, and limited-edition formats.
Broad incumbents
- Mute Records: Long-running UK independent label with a broader post-punk/electronic catalog and major distribution. A broader incumbent analog to Kompakt operating at larger scale across more genres and with deeper institutional distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Compact social profiles
Digital presenceCompact financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Compact leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Compact funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Compact M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Compact
What does Compact do?
Kompakt is a Cologne-based independent electronic music label that produces, releases, and sells music across multiple sub-imprints including Kompakt, Kompakt Extra, Magazine, and Pop Ambient. The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce webshop (kompakt.fm) selling vinyl records, CDs, digital downloads in MP3 and AIFF formats, merchandise, and limited art editions, while also providing music distribution services for other labels and artist booking for live performances.
Is Compact a public or private company?
Compact is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Compact founded?
Compact was founded in 1993. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Compact based?
Compact is headquartered in Köln, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Compact make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Physical Record Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Music Downloads, artist Booking Services, distribution Services and merchandise.
Who are Compact's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Warp Records, Ninja Tune, Cocoon Recordings, Innervisions, Tresor Records, BPitch Control, !K7 Records, Ostgut Ton and R&S Records. Mute Records is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Compact have an API?
No public API is recorded for Compact.
What industry is Compact in?
Compact's product category is Independent Record Label. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAAAD, Music Aggregators & DIY Distribution Platforms, with a secondary code of HSACAHAA, Live Music Booking (Bands, Soloists, DJs). Its NAICS code is 512250 and its SIC code is 3652.