Compost Records is a German record label based in Munich and established by Michael Reinboth in 1993.[1] The label is known for progressive downbeat dance[1] and nu jazz releases[2] incorporating influences of bossa nova, techno, and drum and bass.[3] The Future Sounds of Jazz compilation series helped establish the label early in its history.[1] The majority of artists signed to Compost Records are those known to Reinboth personally, from connections in the German downbeat club scene.[1] The company has resisted licensing its catalog to larger labels, seeking instead to develop roster reputations in-house.[4] Reinboth selected the name Compost for his label because it translates well among many languages, and felt it denoted a "catalyst for constitution and reactions".[5]
In the United States, Compost was initially distributed by K7! Distribution[1] and then by Studio Distribution, until 2002, when it switched to Shelter Music Group.[2]
The book Soul Love: 20 Years Compost Records was released in 2015, featuring text in both English and German, over 450 photographs from the history of the label, and a download code for a forty-track compilation.[6]
