DAF* – 1st Step To Heaven

Although the hype sticker says that the vinyl inclues an insert, my copy came without an insert. Did I just have bad luck getting an incomplete copy or has anybode else the same "problem"?

Musically I was bothered by the twist on this record which I never liked. At the same time I admit that it was the proof of their genius: always two steps ahead of the mass these two guys..

House music Pionier Adonis said about this album. „It was House before there was house“!

It's not about loving the first, big four (or five, if you prefer "Produkt der DAF") albums - at best, this album makes it for one true oddity in the duo's catalogue. By abbreviating their earlier "Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft" name to a simplified "DAF", Robert und Gabi seem to have distanced themselves from the avant-garde pulse they so beautifully explored (and exhausted) up to "Für Immer" - and to an extent also on both camps' solo efforts respectively - Görl's "Nightful of Tension" via Mute, and Gabi's "Mistress" via Virgin, of which the latter audibly helped directing this, 1986 comeback album of theirs...

With "1st Step To Heaven" traces of early work are not entirely erased as DAF pushes into the daring territory of italo-disco/eurodance with varying results. Its trashy aspect (mainly in the lyrics dept) may appeal to some but such deliveries most definitely undermine whats otherwise appealing musically. Generally, a medley-driven record, on which "Absolute Body Control" and especially "Brothers" - remain the strongest pair of tracks. Deliciously exotic along the way, you can tell the ingredients are perfect; somewhere between Bobby O-era Pet Shop Boys, Six Sed Red, Propaganda and to an extent New Order and 52nd Street... one of the songs even relies on a Prince template, exploiting the riff quite similar to a certain "1999"... - the entire album fares best on the dancefloor of course, but the overall impression, however, is that of a tedious exercise getting nowhere in particular.

Anyone familiar with DAF will surely enjoy it, if for sheer curiosity.

When can we look forward to the reasessment and re-release of this under rated lp? Which hipster dj and/or hipster label needs to give this their seal of approval before people act as though they always liked this full length? I love loving this album and seeing ''purists'' turn their nose up. Seriously funky ass dance album without a dull moment.

A great LP from DAF if you like their EBM roots merged with Synthpop. Not a bad song from the lot. Voulez Vous Part II has some great sounds especially the nice drums during the mixout at the end. Brothers is probably their best track from a dance POV. Lots of innovative sounds and chords coming from this LP.

was for me back in 1986 a really strong album. now after almost 3 decades i hear this album again. OPIUM sounds like Cabaret Voltaire (in a good sense) : a strong electric tune which might survived the time excellent. BROTHERS was THE tune in the Discos i went. VOULEZ VOUS is totally funky at all. And so the album goes on in a quite different mix. remarkable und underrated.

Everybody knows and loves the classic three albums. This is the hidden gem, very different from the hard sounds of 1980-82. Daf reformed in '85, released a couple of singles and then this; gay as fuck and very funky. Stand-out tracks are Brothers and Voulez Vous pts 1 & 2.