FRESH AIR

Real experimental just like "Why Don't You Eat Carrots", my first surprise ... this golden phrase should be appropriate for the Krautrock legend FAUST. "Fresh Air", released in 2017, is filled with colourful sound variation, completely without any restraint by authentic rock scene. This attitude of theirs could be thought as kinda antitheses against everything nowadays, I guess ... as if they claimed "pop music must go to hell" all around the album.

The first over 17 minute titled extremity is a cynic of sound. This crazy one reminds me exactly of "Esplanade" by Fille Qui Mousse, flooded with sensual female voices and irritable, irregular noises. Inorganic danceable rock rhythms here and there amongst noises are such a comfort, in that the audience should get immersed. "La Poulie" has tribal, ethnic percussion and spelling shouts in the same vein of Brast Burn's Debon. Obviously got freakout 'with strong intention'.

On the other hand in the following track "Chlorophyl" we can feel of downtempo psychic agents via repetitive sticky melodies with slimy saxophone sounds. Surprising at noticing some rap / hiphop essence via "Lights Flicker" (of course not simply progressive rap music but artistic hallucinogenic avantgarde electronika, we can call it as). Through the last "Fish" we can find kaleidoscopic appearance of pelagic fishes beneath the sea (normally appearance of a pelagic fish is not colourful but monotonous, so this texture might be sorta cynical presentation by FAUST I suppose).

Whilst Just Us was serviceable, it did feel a bit odd after the really great Something Dirty. However, that was merely a bump in the road to the last album of the 2010 era Faust, one that may nearly rival their best.

Fresh Air is a lot different from their previous releases from this decade, and it is pretty evident by the first track, the 17 minute title, as that goes for a more abstract and almost old school Faust type of style. To put it simply, here Faust is moving forward, by moving backwards.

The execution of this plan ends up actually being very good to me. It is noisy and rough, but with ample amounts of energy and drones that keeps things good. It is like an alternate version of Faust IV, or even their very first album, capturing these desolate yet very intriguing mood swings that the band fully adapts perfectly within their music. It has an almost Sonic Youth feel to it as well, particularly with their no wave records like Bad Moon Rising and EVOL. It is certainly very enjoyable to me, and allows the band to fully have an environment to work with when it comes to their noisier tunes.

I also just think there are no real bad tracks on here. Maybe Partitur, but that track is only 22 seconds long, and it's not worth talking about in all honesty. Aside from that, though, every song here has a ton of charm, from the cold and slow title song, to the almost first album-like Chlorophyl, to the hauntingly beautiful Fish, I can see myself really finding something to love each time I hear these tracks.

It all just has a lot of personality too, with tracks that feel like they are within a Faust mythos that we never even saw coming. Listen to Listen To The Fish, and Fish side by side and tell me they don't have relation to one another, you can't. I love this kinda thing in music, just creating relations to one thing and another through songs. Sure it may not even exist and I am stretching, but it could be fun to speculate a possible Faust universe.

I guess if there was a fault this album has, it may be the fact the intro to Fresh Air, and the closing to Fish are a bit too drawn out. I think Fresh Air might have it worse off as half the track is basically just a lady talking with some odd noise in the back, which feels kinda odd, especially for a krautrock epic like this. Still a really great track, but it feels like it could've been a bit better. Fish's outro is a bit better, though I doubt it wouldn't hurt to trim some things up a bit.

That being said, I especially love the tracks laid out in the middle of those two big songs. Except for Partitur, each of these tracks are just consistently great, with new vibes strung across them that makes each listen feel almost adventurous. I especially like Lights Flicker, with its gruesome details, its avant-jazzy backing, and its intense but hooky beats makes it one of those Faust tracks that get stuck in my head quite easily. Insanely good work from this legacy band.

All in all, Faust still got what it takes to be adept at krautrock in the modern day. They may never be as revolutionary as they once were, but that doesn't mean they aren't allowed to still make their mark once and awhile. Certainly do check this one out if you have the time, as it is a breath of fresh air in the grand scheme of experimental rock.

Best tracks: La Poulie, Chlorophyl, Lights Flicker

Worst track: Partitur