Compression was developed for wildly varying acoustic recordings, its not that suited to electronic music. I believe it was originally invented for mastering when poorly recorded performances varied in volume level. That said, the pumping effect or ducking of compression can be used to improve a drum pattern. Because psychoacoustically you are making the same sound effect that our ears make in protecting itself from a loud sound. We are fooling ourselves into thinking the music is louder than it really is.
B