Faust

"There is no group more mythical than Faust," wrote Julian Cope in his book Krautrocksampler, which detailed the pivotal influence the German band exerted over the development of experimental music. The group's initial run during the early '70s produced a series of albums that radically reimagined the role of the recording studio, introducing tape cut-up techniques and Dadaist whimsy to freewheeling psychedelic rock. The band's releases earned a cult following, particularly 1973's Faust IV, a more accessible set that gradually attained classic status. The group reconvened in 1990 and continued performing and releasing albums that demonstrated how they had become a lasting influence on industrial, techno, noise rock, and even hip-hop, as evidenced by their 2004 collaboration with Dälek, Derbe Respect, Alder. Separate lineups of Faust, centered around original members, subsequently became active, with the most prolific one releasing albums such as 2017's Fresh Air, and another releasing 2022's Daumenbruch.