Synchronicity (2x VINYL) | Mint (M) Mint (M)

"We have always been very fortunate to meet and know many talented producers. In recent years, we have been exploring those relationships with different remixes and collaborations, and every time something exciting came out. That's why we started our Synchronicity project. To challenge ourselves making inspiring, fun and beautiful music.'Synchronicity' means "the simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection. This very well describes how our path led to the place we are now – somewhere between the club and indie scenes.” – WhoMadeWho

COMPACT welcomes back Copenhagen's WhoMadeWho. Tomas Barfod's penchant for electronic music poetically juxtaposed with Tomas Høffding and Jeppe Kjellberg's respective backgrounds in rock and jazz, gives their music an electrifying combination of sounds, merging a variety of influences to produce a unique sonic fingerprint that is emotive, irresistible and immensely satisfying.

Although we both have yet to strike a note together since the release of their 2012 full length “Brighter” (KOM 254), WhoMadeWho have been remarkably productive. With two full lengths, a DJ mix for Watergate's series and releasing two of 2019's most played out club tracks together with Rampa (Innervisions) and Artbat (Watergate Records), the trio have found themselves diving more and more into the world of electronic music, tapping into their goldmine of connections within the scene to spearhead an array of collaborations.

Synchronicity is all about 'meaningful coincidences' – bringing interpretation to bear on connections that have no actual causal relationship. It's a canny concept to pin onto Copenhagen trio WhoMadeWho's latest album, which sees them return to Kompakt for the first time since 2012's Brighter.

This re-established connection helps us to understand the synchronicity at play, the way that the WhoMadeWho core ave built an album around collaboration with friends and peers, much as Kompakt is all about cross-connections and family. On Synchronicity, WhoMadeWho call on friends old and new – Michael Mayer, Echonomist, Adana Twins, Alex Boman, Robag Wruhme, Frank Wiedemann, Sainte Vie, Mano Le Tough, Marc Piñol, Rebolledo, and Perel is the cast list; WhoMadeWho direct the material, shaping it into one lovingly flowing gem of dance-pop glory.

There's something particularly generous about hearing an album as all-inclusive and open-hearted as Synchronicity in the midst of the profound social and cultural shifts we're currently experiencing. While some songs on Synchronicity were recorded together, in real time, such as the collaborations with Adana Twins and Rebolledo, most of them have taken place via long distance, thanks to the pandemic lockdown. But you don't need to know who was where to understand either the magnesium-flare melancholy of “Sooner”, recorded with Piñol, which has you holding your breath with the gentle thrill of the song's lush melody, or the stomping strut of the following Adana Twins collaboration, “Shadow Of Doubt”.

Elsewhere, there's the stentorian robot voice at the heart of “Hamstring”, where they're joined by Michael Mayer; the lustrous headsoak of “Twenty Tears”, a tender intervention by Rebolledo; the strip-light, slow-motion disco strut of “Cecil”, produced alongside Echonomist; or the glittering, arpeggio dreamwork that Perel helps sculpt into shape on “The Evening Holds No Rest.”… Really, there's so much to celebrate here, a panoply of pleasures. From pop revelations to dancefloor delirium to slow-burning brooders, Synchronicity is just that; a space for the joys of the unexpected to collide, and to be given meaning by their coincidental co-existence in WhoMadeWho's beautiful world.

"We've always been fortunate enough to meet many talented producers. Over the past few years, we've deepened these relationships through various remixes and collaborations, and each time, something exciting has emerged. This is why we started our Synchronicity project: to challenge ourselves to make inspired, fun, and beautiful music. "Synchronicity" means the simultaneous occurrence of events that seem to have a significant connection, but have no discernible causal relationship. This perfectly describes how our path has led us to where we are now—somewhere between the club and indie scenes." – WhoMadeWho

KOMPAKT is pleased about the return of Copenhagen band WhoMadeWho. Tomas Barfod's penchant for electronic music, in poetic contrast to Tomas Høffding and Jeppe Kjellberg's respective backgrounds in rock and jazz, makes their music an electrifying conglomerate in which diverse influences merge into a unique sonic fingerprint: soulful, irresistible and immensely satisfying.

Although they haven't made any collaborative projects since the release of "Brighter" (KOM 254) in 2012, WhoMadeWho has been remarkably productive in the meantime. With two full-length albums, a DJ mix for the Watergate series, and the release of two of 2019's most-played club tracks together with Rampa (Innervisions) and Artbat (Watergate Records), the trio is increasingly delving into the world of electronic music. For their collaborations, WhoMadeWho repeatedly draws on their goldmine of acquaintances within the scene.

"Synchronicity" is about "meaningful coincidences"—that is, the interpretation of connections that have no actual causal connection. It's a sophisticated concept that underlies the latest album by Copenhagen trio WhoMadeWho: This reestablished connection helps us understand the synchronicity at play; the way WhoMadeWho built an album around collaborations with friends and like-minded people: after all, Kompakt is also about connections and family. On Synchronicity, WhoMadeWho addresses old and new friends: Michael Mayer, Echonomist, Adana Twins, Axel Boman, Robag Wruhme, Frank Wiedemann, Terr, Sainte Vie, Mano Le Tough, Marc Piñol, Rebolledo, and Perel are on the list. The trio directs and polishes the album. The result: a true gem of dance, pop, and glory.

Amid the profound social and cultural changes we are currently experiencing, it is special to hear an album as open-hearted as "Synchronicity." While some songs were recorded together and in real time—such as the collaboration with the Adana Twins and Rebolledo—most sessions took place remotely due to the pandemic. Ultimately, you don't need to know who was where to understand the melancholy of "Sooner" with Marc Piñol and to hold your breath in the song's gentle melodic rush. The rather brutal energy of the following Adana Twins collaboration, "Shadow of Doubt," is also conveyed profoundly across social distance.

Elsewhere, there's the resounding robot voice at the heart of "Hamstring," where Michael Mayer joins them; the shimmering "Twenty Tears," a tender intervention by Rebolledo; the slow-motion disco number "Cecil," produced together with Echonomist; or the glittering arpeggio dream that Perel brings to life in "Der Abend haltert keine Ruh." Yes, there is indeed much to celebrate: from pop revelations to dancefloor delirium to pieces that take their time—Synchronicity has room for it all. the album provides space,in which the joys of the unexpected collide and make sense through their serendipitous juxtaposition in the world of WhoMadeWho.