Faust – Faust

A quirky, carnival like atmosphere is created on this record. The main melody on the first track is annoying in a catchy way (but not in a bad way, mind you), some parts reminicent of Brian Wilson's Smile but much rawer. It swirls and pulsates with conviction. It sounds like recordings in the labratory of a mad professor. This album is definately a masterpiece precurser to music that is produced as late now. Rough cuts, samples, flat beats, static ambience, industrial plodding, garage rock like psychedelic surf music, it is almost all here. This album is just plain good weird abstract madness. AND to top it off, the whole vinyl package is a work of art in itself, not mentioning the music inside.

This is the most brilliant album of the Kraut Rock era in my opinion. Using ordinary instruments, tapes, primitive synthesisers and recording studio avantgarde techniques, Faust recorded a pioneer album which anticipates of 15 years the use of samples (cuts from The Beatle's "All You Need Is Love" and The Rolling Stone's "Satisfaction" rise from the electronic magma at the beginning of the opening track), as well as noise and industrial ("Meadow Meal" could appear on any Nurse With Wound or Coil release). The following "So Far" is not as brilliant and innovative, it's just with the final "Faust IV" that they will assemble another masterpiece.