Album Review: Tausend Ganz Legale Steuertricks by Dauerfisch
Alright, let’s talk about Tausund Ganz Legale Steuertricks (yep, that’s “A Thousand Totally Legal Tax Tricks” for the non-German speakers). Released in 1997 by the German duo Dauerfisch, this album is a quirky gem of electronic house music. It’s got that late-90s vibe—think big beats, playful samples, and just enough weirdness to keep you guessing. If you’re into house music with personality, this one’s worth checking out.
The album came out on Bungalow Records, and it’s clear from the get-go that Dauerfisch was having fun here. The credits alone are wild: Treu and Abshagen handling words and music, Bo mastering the chaos, and Laura Carleton adding her magic to the cover art. Oh, and Dauerfisch? They did everything else—producing, arranging, performing, the whole shebang. You can tell they poured their hearts into this project, even if it feels like they were laughing the whole time.
Now, onto the tracks. I’ll focus on two that really stuck with me: “The Return Of Hihihihahaha” and “My Mailbox Is An Echo Chamber.”
First up, “The Return Of Hihihihahaha.” This track is ridiculous in the best way possible. It’s like someone took a laugh track from an old sitcom, chopped it up, and threw it over a funky house beat. The result? Pure earworm gold. Every time those giggles kick in, it’s impossible not to crack a smile yourself. It’s goofy, sure, but there’s something oddly hypnotic about it too. Like, you find yourself bobbing your head while wondering if you’ve lost your mind. Classic Dauerfisch move.
Then there’s “My Mailbox Is An Echo Chamber.” This one hits different—it’s more introspective, with these haunting vocal snippets layered over a driving rhythm. There’s this weird tension between the mechanical groove and the almost-human voices, like your inbox is trying to tell you something important but keeps stuttering. It’s the kind of track that sneaks up on you when you least expect it, lingering in your brain long after it’s over.
What I love most about this album is how unapologetically itself it is. Sure, some tracks feel like experiments gone slightly off the rails (cough “Dr. Blei Fährt Seilbahn” cough), but that’s part of the charm. It’s not trying to be perfect—it’s trying to make you think, dance, and maybe chuckle a bit.
As I sit here reflecting on Tausend Ganz Legale Steuertricks, I can’t help but wonder: what would Alan Smithee—a name famously used as a pseudonym for directors who want to disown their work—have thought of the ode dedicated to him? Would he approve of the wacky beats and cheeky lyrics? Or would he just shake his head and walk away? Either way, hats off to Dauerfisch for creating such a memorable piece of musical madness.
So go ahead, give this album a spin. Just don’t blame me if you start hearing giggles in your sleep.
