Faust IV

Performer: Faust
Distributor: Caroline Distribution

Notes: Includes liner notes by David Ilic. Widely acknowledged as one of Faust's finest works, IV finds these ground-breaking German proggies strutting their collective Euro-stuff on a collection of songs more varied and lighthearted than their previous releases. Starting off with the genre-defining "Krautrock," the band sets up sheets of electronic sound that bounce off each other endlessly, creating a kaleidoscopic feel, while the insistent beat conjures up images of great drooling beasts jumping incessantly up and down. The band steps outside of its comfort zone on "The Sad Skinhead," a loopy reggae sendup. Elsewhere there are quiet, acoustic moments amid the electronic frenzy. "Jennifer" and "It's A Bit Of A Pain," while maintaining the deconstructed feel of the other tunes, are downright poignant. Widely acknowledged as one of Faust's finest works, IV finds these ground-breaking German proggies strutting their collective Euro-stuff on a collection of songs more varied and lighthearted than their previous releases. Starting off with the genre-defining "Krautrock," the band sets up sheets of electronic sound that bounce off each other endlessly, creating a kaleidoscopic feel, while the insistent beat conjures up images of great drooling beasts jumping incessantly up and down. The band steps outside of its comfort zone on "The Sad Skinhead," a loopy reggae sendup. Elsewhere there are quiet, acoustic moments amid the electronic frenzy. "Jennifer" and "It's A Bit Of A Pain," while maintaining the deconstructed feel of the other tunes, are downright poignant.

Spin (p.117) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[P]retty awesome -- especially the alternate version of 'Krautrock,' a hypnotic guitar-drone manifesto." Uncut (p.128) - 5 stars out of 5 -- "[With] 'Jennifer', a strange tripped-out love song almost unequalled in the annals of psychedelia. A strange, rubbery, reverbed bassline and a gently circling guitar figure conjure a mood of spacey and sacred serenity..." The Wire (p.66) - "FAUST IV is essential, continuing to highlight the group's capacity for shapeshifting and mood swings." Mojo (Publisher) (p.120) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[P]assages sound beautiful and alien by today's standards..." Mojo (Publisher) (p.153) - "[A] curate's egg of an album...It stands as their most accessible album, containing inspired pieces..."

Faust are one of the seminal Krautrock bands--they even gave the genre its name with one of their early song titles. Their music is a heady mix of rock, avant-garde electronics, and trippy psychedelia. After disbanding in the mid 1970s, the band reunited properly in the 1990s and were embraced by a new and enthusiastic audience. They began touring and recording again, and collaborated with the likes of art rock luminary Jim O'Rourke and experimental hip-hop act Dalek. The band's sound has proven hugely influential on a host of underground, indie, and experimental rock bands of the '80s, '90s, and 2000s.

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