Art Brut

About

Art Brut is a German independent record label focused on experimental and industrial music, operating primarily during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The label's output, documented through five cassette releases between 1988 and 1991, reflects a commitment to avant-garde and underground aesthetics. The label favored cassette tape as its primary format, a choice consistent with the DIY ethos and accessibility that characterized independent experimental music distribution during this period. Notable releases include "Bevor Die Quellen Versiegen 1" (1988), "Der Moloch" (1989), and the "Placebo" series, which showcase the label's engagement with abstract, noise-oriented, and conceptual sound practices. Art Brut's significance lies in its contribution to the European underground experimental music scene, maintaining an independent distribution model during an era when such ventures required considerable dedication. The label's German base and cassette-centric catalog position it within the broader network of European tape labels that preserved and promoted non-commercial artistic expression during the industrial and post-industrial music movements of the late twentieth century.