Michael Mayer is one of the driving forces behind the hugely successful and vast catalog of Kompakt Records, which spans minimal techno, pop-oriented tech house, ambient, and more. During the 2000s, the Cologne sound was omnipresent, revolutionizing the techno and house world which emerged from the dark (and hard) ages of the early 2000s. Many have characterized Kompakt as the label that's contributed more than any other to Germany's dominance of electronic dance music.