Stereolab | ||
| Allmusic Biography : One of the most distinctive alternative bands to emerge in the 90s, Stereolab either celebrated forms of music that were on the fringe of rock, or brought attention to strands of pop music -- bossa nova, lounge-pop, movie soundtracks -- that were traditionally banished from the rock lineage. Led by Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier, the groups trademark sound -- a droning, hypnotic rhythm track overlaid with melodic, mesmerizing singsong vocals, often sung in French and often promoting revolutionary, Marxist politics -- was deceptively simple, providing the basis for a wide array of stylistic experiments over the course of their prolific career. On early singles and albums such as 1993s Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements, Stereolab combined 60s pop melodies with an art rock aesthetic borrowed from Krautrock bands like Faust and Neu!, but by the time of 1996s Emperor Tomato Ketchup, their sound incorporated jazz, hip-hop, and dance. Their collaborations with John McEntire and Jim ORourke on albums such as 1997s Dots and Loops and 2001s Sound-Dust found Stereolab pursuing an increasingly intricate, experimental approach. Following the tragic 2002 death of member Mary Hansen, the band returned to a poppier style for later albums like 2008s Chemical Chords. Stereolabs unmistakable sound had a lasting impact: During the 90s, indie contemporaries such as Pavement and Blur aped their style, while hip-hop artists such as J Dilla and Tyler the Creator sampled the bands music or collaborated with its members in the 2000s and 2010s. Tim Gane (born July 12, 1964; guitar, keyboards) was the leader of McCarthy, a London-based band from the late 80s that functioned as a prototype for Stereolabs sound. Gane met Laetitia Sadier (born May 6, 1968; vocals, keyboards), a French-born vocalist, at one of McCarthys concerts. The pair began a romantic relationship that became a musical collaboration after McCarthy disbanded in 1990; Sadier sang on the final McCarthy album. The duo began recording as Stereolab, borrowing the name from Vanguard Records hi-fi effects division in the 50s. Gane and Sadier also formed the label Duophonic Records with manager Martin Pike to release their singles. Stereolabs first year of existence was prolific: The debut EP Super 45 arrived in May 1991, followed quickly by the Super-Electric EP that September and the Stunning Debut Album EP that November. At that point, the group was working with Th Faith Healers drummer Joe Dilworth and former Chills bassist Martin Kean; Gina Morris occasionally provided backup vocals. Too Pure released the bands first full-length Peng! in May 1992, and the EP compilation Switched On in October. As with all of the bands releases from this era, both albums featured the visual trademark of a maniacally grinning cartoon taken from a 70s Swiss political comic (which the band named "Cliff"). That year, the band also issued the Lo-Fi EP and added keyboardist/vocalist Mary Hansen and drummer Andy Ramsay to the fold. Released in early 1993, Stereolabs The Groop Played "Space Age Bachelor Pad Music" EP featured the core group of Gane, Sadier, Hansen, and Ramsay, along with ex-Microdisney guitarist Sean OHagan and bassist Duncan Brown. One of the first 90s alternative records to explicitly draw from the "Space Age" lounge-pop music of the 50s, The Groop became an underground sensation, paving the way toward Stereolabs first American record contract with Elektra Records. Their next album, and first American release, was Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements. Released in August 1993, it became an underground and college hit throughout the U.S. and U.K. They followed it that October with Crumb Duck, a split EP with Nurse with Wound. Early the following year, the Jenny Ondioline EP became Stereolabs first charting release when it entered the U.K. Singles chart at number 75. Stereolab soon became a hip name to drop for many musicians, including Sonic Youth, Pavement, and Blur, who had Laetitia Sadier provide guest vocals on their 1994 hit single "To the End." Where Transient was dominated by a lo-fi experimentalism, the groups sound became lusher and more layered with Mars Audiac Quintet, which was released in August 1994. OHagan moved from a full member to a part-time guest during the recording of the album -- he was busy forming his own band, the High Llamas -- and the band added keyboardist Katherine Gifford. By the time of Mars Audiac Quintets release, Stereolabs style was prominent throughout the underground, and the group began to change its approach. Created for an interactive art exhibit by Charles Long, the limited-edition 1995 EP Music for the Amorphous Body Center boasted detailed, intricate string and vocal arrangements which were more sophisticated than the groups previous releases. That July, the band issued its second rarities compilation, Refried Ectoplasm, which was released on Drag City in the U.S. Before the band recorded a new album, Gifford was replaced by Morgane Lhote. Featuring contributions from Tortoises John McEntire, 1996s Emperor Tomato Ketchup was an even bigger departure from the bands early drone rock, demonstrating a heavy hip-hop, jazz, and dance influence. It was Stereolabs greatest success to date, earning positive reviews in both the U.S. and U.K. and becoming a significant college hit in the process. After the recording of Emperor Tomato Ketchup, bassist Duncan Brown was replaced by Richard Harrison. That year, the band worked with Herbie Mann on "One Note Samba/Surfboard," which appeared on the Red Hot Organizations AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio. At the end of 1996, Stereolab released the limited-edition, horn-driven Fluorescences EP. For their next album, Dots and Loops, the band reunited with McEntire and recruited Mouse on Mars Jan St. Werner; after its September 1997 release, it peaked at number 111 on the Billboard 200 chart. Another Nurse with Wound collaboration, Simple Headphone Mind, appeared that year, and singer/poet Brigitte Fontaine joined Stereolab on the 1998 single "Calimero," which featured the debut of Sadiers other project Monade on its B-side. Aluminum Tunes, the groups third rarities collection, appeared in October 1998. After taking time off from touring following the birth of Gane and Sadiers first child, Stereolab resurfaced in 1999 with the intricate Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night, which featured production by McEntire and Jim ORourke. An EP, The First of the Microbe Hunters, quickly followed in 2000. Their seventh full-length, 2001s Sound-Dust, reunited the band with ORourke and McEntire and took a more melodic approach. In 2002, Sadier and Gane ended their relationship, but Stereolab continued. The collection ABC Music: The Radio 1 Sessions arrived that October, just a few months before Hansen died at the age of 36 when the bicycle she was riding was hit by a truck in December 2002. Following Hansens death, the group soldiered on, releasing The Instant 0 in the Universe EP in October 2003 and the full-length Margerine Eclipse -- a tribute to Hansen -- in January 2004. After Elektra Records folded later in 2004, Stereolab returned to Too Pure, which released a series of six limited-edition singles collected on 2006s Fab Four Suture. The group re-teamed with producer/arranger Sean OHagan for 2008s Chemical Chords, a collection of short, poppy songs released by 4AD. Following their Australian tour in February 2009, Stereolab went on an indefinite hiatus. Not Music, a collection of material recorded during the Chemical Chords sessions, arrived in 2010. Subsequently, Gane formed the kosmiche-inspired trio Cavern of Anti-Matter, which also featured former Stereolab drummer Joe Dilworth. Sadier pursued several projects, including solo albums and the groups Little Tornados and the Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble. In 2019, Stereolab ended their hiatus to play a series of concerts and festivals that coincided with deluxe reissues of their albums, beginning with Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements and Mars Audiac Quintet that May. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 33 Title: Peng! Released: 1992-04 Tracks: 11 Duration: 47:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Super Falling Star (03:16) 2 Orgiastic (04:44) 3 Peng! 33 (03:03) 4 K-Stars (04:04) 5 Perversion (05:01) 6 You Little Shits (03:25) 7 The Seeming and the Meaning (03:48) 8 Mellotron (02:47) 9 Enivrez-Vous (03:51) 10 Stomach Worm (06:35) 11 Surrealchemist (07:13) |
 | Album: 2 of 33 Title: Low Fi Released: 1992-09-28 Tracks: 4 Duration: 24:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Low Fi (05:23) 2 (Varoom!) (09:02) 3 Laisser-faire (04:31) 4 Elektro (He Held the World in His Iron Grip) (05:45) |
 | Album: 3 of 33 Title: Switched On Released: 1992-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 44:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Super-Electric (05:23) 2 Doubt (03:25) 3 Au Grand Jour (03:28) 4 The Way Will Be Opening (04:07) 5 Brittle (03:47) 6 Contact (08:17) 7 Au Grand Jour (03:40) 8 High Expectation (03:32) 9 The Light That Will Cease to Fail (03:23) 10 Changer (04:54) |
| Switched On : Allmusic album Review : Switched On collects Stereolabs earliest singles, capturing the groups hypnotic, driving sound in its infancy. Though theyre more guitar-driven and rock-oriented than the bands later work, tracks like "Super-Electric" and "Au Grand Jour" prove that Stereolabs basic style -- Krautrock lock-grooves, bubbling analog synths, fuzzed-out guitars, and angelic vocals -- arrived fully formed. "Doubt" and "Brittle" are among the groups most vibrant pop songs, while the eight-minute "Contact" is a warm-up for the epics the band would include on albums like Transient Random Noise-Bursts With Announcements. Reflective pieces like "The Way Will Be Opening" and "High Expectation" show off Laetitia Sadiers coolly sophisticated, Nico-meets-Francoise Hardy vocals, while "The Light That Will Cease to Fail" manages to be poppy, kinetic, and bittersweet all at once. Though the group would go on to make even more impressive albums, the newness of Stereolabs sound is palpable on Switched On, giving the songs an added vitality. Obviously, its an impressive debut, but its captivating in its own right. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 33 Title: Crumb Duck Released: 1993 Tracks: 5 Duration: 40:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Steel Drum March of the Metal Men (05:39) 2 The Dadda’s Intoxication (06:25) 3 Exploding Head Movie (04:48) 4 Animal or Vegetable (A Wonderful Wooden Reason) (13:32) 5 A New Dress (remix) (09:42) |
 | Album: 5 of 33 Title: The Groop Played “Space Age Batchelor Pad Music” Released: 1993-03-22 Tracks: 8 Duration: 28:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Avant Garde M.O.R. (04:09) 2 Space Age Bachelor Pad Music (Mellow) (01:44) 3 The Groop Play Chord X (02:01) 4 Space Age Bachelor Pad Music (Foamy) (02:13) 5 Ronco Symphony (03:35) 6 We’re Not Adult Orientated (06:07) 7 U.H.F. - MFP (04:53) 8 We’re Not Adult Orientated (Neu Wave Live) (03:34) |
 | Album: 6 of 33 Title: Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements Released: 1993-08 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:02:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Tone Burst (05:35) 2 Our Trinitone Blast (03:47) 3 Pack Yr Romantic Mind (05:06) 4 I’m Going out of My Way (03:25) 5 Golden Ball (06:52) 6 Pause (05:23) 7 Jenny Ondioline (18:08) 8 Analogue Rock (04:13) 9 Crest (06:04) 10 Lock-Groove Lullaby (03:38) |
| Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements : Allmusic album Review : Though it was the groups major-label debut, Stereolabs Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements showed no signs of selling out. If anything, its one of the most eclectic and experimental releases in Stereolabs early career, emphasizing the groups elongated Krautrock jams, instrumentals, and harsh, noisy moments. The album begins and ends with smooth, sensual washes of sound like "Tone Burst" and "Lock-Groove Lullaby" and smoothly bouncy pop songs like "Im Going Out of My Way." These softer, more accessible moments surround complex and varied compositions such as "Analogue Rock," "Our Trinitone Blast," and "Golden Ball," which, with its distorted vocals and shifting tempos, serves as an appetizer for "Jenny Ondioline." A hypnotic, 18-minute epic encompassing dreamy yet driving pop, a Krautrock groove, forceful, churning guitars, and a furious climax, its the most ambitious -- and definitive -- moment of Stereolabs early years. But Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements also features quietly experimental pieces such as "Pause," a slightly spooky song that uses distorted whispers as a rhythm track and places fluttery keyboards and Laetitia Sadier and Mary Hansens sweet, slightly alien harmonies atop it. Likewise, the very sexy, very French "Pack Yr Romantic Mind" reveals the growing influence of 50s and 60s easy listening on the groups musical direction. If Switched On and Peng! defined the bands essential sound, Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements expanded it, reaffirming Stereolabs place as one of the most innovative and evolving groups of the 90s. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 33 Title: Jenny Ondioline Released: 1993-08-22 Tracks: 4 Duration: 18:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jenny Ondioline (03:52) 2 Fruition (03:51) 3 Golden Ball (06:31) 4 French Disco (04:27) |
 | Album: 8 of 33 Title: Ping Pong Released: 1994-07 Tracks: 4 Duration: 15:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Ping Pong (03:02) 2 Moogie Wonderland (03:34) 3 Pain et spectacles (03:30) 4 Transona Five (live) (05:42) |
 | Album: 9 of 33 Title: Mars Audiac Quintet Released: 1994-08-09 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:07:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Three-Dee Melodie (05:02) 2 Wow and Flutter (03:08) 3 Transona Five (05:32) 4 Des étoiles électroniques (03:19) 5 Ping Pong (03:02) 6 Anamorphose (07:33) 7 Three Longers Later (03:28) 8 Nihilist Assault Group (06:55) 9 International Colouring Contest (03:47) 10 The Stars Our Destination (02:58) 11 Transporté sans bouger (04:20) 12 LEnfer des formes (03:53) 13 Outer Accelerator (05:21) 14 New Orthophony (04:34) 15 Fiery Yellow (04:04) |
| Mars Audiac Quintet : Allmusic album Review : By the time of 1994s Mars Audiac Quintet, Stereolab had already highlighted the rock and experimental sides of its music; now the band concentrated on perfecting its space-age pop. Sweetly bouncy songs like "Ping Pong" and "L Enfer des Formes" streamline the bands sound without sacrificing its essence; track for track, this may be the groups most accessible, tightly written album. The groove-driven "Outer Accelerator," "Wow and Flutter," and "Transona Five" (which sounds strangely like Canned Heats "Goin Up the Country") reaffirm Stereolabs Krautrock roots, but the bands sweet synth melodies and vocal arrangements give it a pop patina. Even extended pieces like "Anamorphose" and "Nihilist Assault Group" -- which could have appeared on Transient Random Noise-Bursts With Announcements if they had a rawer production -- are more sensual and voluptuous than edgy and challenging. Its equally apparent on layered, complex songs such as "New Orthophony" and "The Stars Our Destination," as well as spare, minimal tracks like "Des Etoiles Electroniques," that the members of Stereolab focused their experimental energies on production tricks, vocal interplay, and increasingly electronic-based arrangements. The charming final track "Fiery Yellow" takes the bands fondness for lounge pop and experimentation to the limit; a delicate, marimba-driven piece featuring the High Llamas Sean OHagan, it sounds like the kind of music Esquivel or Martin Denny would be proud to make in the 90s. While its not as overtly innovative as some of Stereolabs earlier albums, Mars Audiac Quintet is an enjoyable, accessible forerunner to the intricate, cerebral direction the groups music would take in the mid- and late 90s. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 33 Title: Wow and Flutter Released: 1994-10-31 Tracks: 4 Duration: 17:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Wow and Flutter (03:08) 2 Heavy Denim (02:49) 3 Nihilist Assault Group, Parts 3, 4, 5 (07:12) 4 Narco Martenot (04:20) |
 | Album: 11 of 33 Title: Music for the Amorphous Body Study Center Released: 1995-04-18 Tracks: 7 Duration: 23:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Pop Quiz (04:22) 2 The Extension Trip (03:43) 3 How to Play Your Internal Organs Overnight (03:58) 4 The Brush Descends the Length (03:08) 5 Melochord Seventy-Five (03:39) 6 Space Moment (02:42) 7 [untitled] (01:37) |
 | Album: 12 of 33 Title: Refried Ectoplasm (Switched On Volume 2) Released: 1995-09-04 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:03:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Harmonium (05:55) 2 Lo Boob Oscillator (06:36) 3 Mountain (04:05) 4 Revox (04:13) 5 French Disko (03:35) 6 Exploding Head Movie (04:48) 7 Eloge D’Eros (03:52) 8 Tone Burst (Country) (02:12) 9 Animal or Vegetable (A Wonderful Wooden Reason) (13:32) 10 John Cage Bubblegum (03:18) 11 Sadistic (02:36) 12 Farfisa (02:23) 13 Tempter (05:52) |
 | Album: 13 of 33 Title: Cybeles Reverie Released: 1996-02-19 Tracks: 4 Duration: 20:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Cybeles Reverie (02:55) 2 Les Yper-Yper Sound (05:18) 3 Brigitte (05:46) 4 Young Lungs (06:33) |
 | Album: 14 of 33 Title: Emperor Tomato Ketchup Released: 1996-03-18 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:03:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Metronomic Underground (07:55) 2 Cybeles Reverie (04:42) 3 Percolator (03:47) 4 Les Yper-Sound (04:05) 5 Spark Plug (02:29) 6 OLV 26 (05:42) 7 The Noise of Carpet (03:05) 8 Tomorrow Is Already Here (04:56) 9 Emperor Tomato Ketchup (04:37) 10 Monstre Sacre (03:44) 11 Motoroller Scalatron (03:48) 12 Slow Fast Hazel (03:53) 13 Anonymous Collective (04:32) 14 Brigitte (05:46) |
| Emperor Tomato Ketchup : Allmusic album Review : Stereolab was poised for a breakthrough release with Emperor Tomato Ketchup, their fourth full-length album. Not only was their influence becoming apparent throughout alternative rock, but Mars Audiac Quintet and Music for the Amorphous Body Center indicated they were moving closer to distinct pop melodies. The group certainly hasnt backed away from pop melodies on Emperor Tomato Ketchup, but just as their hooks are becoming catchier, they bring in more avant-garde and experimental influences, as well. Consequently, the album is Stereolabs most complex, multi-layered record. It lacks the raw, amateurish textures of their early singles, but the music is far more ambitious, melding electronic drones and singsong melodies with string sections, slight hip-hop and dub influences, and scores of interweaving counter melodies. Even when Stereolab appears to be creating a one-chord trance, there is a lot going on beneath the surface. Furthermore, the groups love for easy listening and pop melodies means that the music never feels cold or inaccessible. In fact, pop singles like "Cybeles Reverie" and "The Noise of Carpet" help ease listeners into the groups more experimental tendencies. Because of all its textures, Emperor Tomato Ketchup isnt as immediately accessible as Mars Audiac Quintet, but it is a rich, rewarding listen. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 33 Title: Fluorescences Released: 1996-11-18 Tracks: 4 Duration: 24:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Fluorescences (03:23) 2 Pinball (03:13) 3 You Used to Call Me Sadness (05:10) 4 Soop Groove #1 (13:02) |
 | Album: 16 of 33 Title: Miss Modular Released: 1997-09-01 Tracks: 4 Duration: 16:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Miss Modular (04:13) 2 Allures (03:29) 3 Off-On (05:25) 4 Spinal Column (02:53) |
 | Album: 17 of 33 Title: Dots and Loops Released: 1997-09-22 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:05:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Brakhage (05:30) 2 Miss Modular (04:29) 3 The Flower Called Nowhere (04:55) 4 Diagonals (05:15) 5 Prisoner of Mars (04:03) 6 Rainbo Conversation (04:46) 7 Refractions in the Plastic Pulse (17:32) 8 Parsec (05:34) 9 Ticker-Tape of the Unconscious (04:45) 10 Contronatura (09:03) |
| Dots and Loops : Allmusic album Review : On Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Stereolab moved in two directions simultaneously -- it explored funkier dance rhythms while increasing the complexity of its arrangements and compositions. For its follow-up, Dots and Loops, the group scaled back its rhythmic experiments and concentrated on layered compositions. Heavily influenced by bossa nova and swinging 60s pop, Dots and Loops is a deceptively light, breezy album that floats by with effortless grace. Even the segmented, 20-minute "Refractions in the Plastic Pulse" has a sunny, appealing surface -- its only upon later listens that the interlocking melodies and rhythms reveal their intricate interplay. In many ways, Dots and Loops is Stereolabs greatest musical accomplishment to date, demonstrating remarkable skill -- their interaction is closer to jazz than rock, exploring all of the possibilities of any melodic phrase. Their affection for 60s pop keeps Dots and Loops accessible, even though that doesnt mean it is as immediate as Emperor Tomato Ketchup. In fact, the laid-back stylings of Dots and Loops makes it a little difficult to assimilate upon first listen, but after a few repeated plays, its charms unfold as gracefully as any other Stereolab record. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 33 Title: Aluminum Tunes Released: 1998-10-05 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:53:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Pop Quiz (04:22) 2 The Extension Trip (03:43) 3 How to Play Your Internal Organs Overnight (03:58) 4 The Brush Descends the Length (03:08) 5 Melochord Seventy-Five (03:39) 6 Space Moment (04:20) 7 Iron Man (03:27) 8 The Long Hair of Death (04:48) 9 You Used to Call Me Sadness (04:00) 10 New Orthophony (06:26) 11 Speedy Car (05:00) 12 Golden Atoms (05:18) 13 Ulan Bator (03:14) 14 One Small Step (04:16) 1 One Note Samba / Surfboard (09:10) 2 Cadriopo (03:09) 3 Klang Tone (05:36) 4 Get Carter (03:23) 5 1000 Miles an Hour (04:32) 6 Percolations (03:22) 7 Seeperbold (05:08) 8 Check and Double Check (04:03) 9 Munich Madness (03:48) 10 Metronomic Underground (Wagon Christ mix) (07:51) 11 The Incredible He Woman (03:31) |
| Aluminum Tunes : Allmusic album Review : Stereolabs Switched On series is ingenious, one of the best services a band has performed for its fans. Since their inception, Stereolab have made it a practice to release non-LP singles, tour 7"s, split singles, special-edition EPs -- recordings that were available in small quantities for a limited time. In every case, the limited-edition recordings become very valuable very quickly, often reaching ridiculously exorbitant prices that most fans could never afford. Thats where the Switched On series comes in. Its where the group gathers the best of these rarities, leaving a couple of tracks on the original single for the sake of collectibility. Stereolab may do certain projects as a lark, but they rarely throw away tracks, as each EP and most singles have their own identity, offering a new spin on the groups trademark style. Given that Aluminum Tunes: Switched On, Vol. 3 spans two discs, it might seem that the compilation will only be of interest to diehards, but it rivals Refried Ectoplasm: Switched On, Vol. 2 in terms of creativity and consistency. Aluminum Tunes is distinguished by the first wide release of the entire sublime easy listening EP Music for the Amorphous Body Center, which would be enough to make the compilation essential for all fans, but it also has such minor masterpieces as their swinging duet with Herbie Mann on Antonio Carlos Jobims "One Note Samba," Wagon Christs remix of "Metronomic Underground," the horn-spiked "Percolations," and "You Used to Call Me Sadness." There may be a couple of tracks that never rise above the level of good but predictable Stereolab, but the best moments rank among their very best work. Quite simply an essential addition to their catalog. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 33 Title: The Free Design Released: 1999-09-06 Tracks: 4 Duration: 17:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Free Design (03:47) 2 Escape Pod (From the World of Medical Observations) (03:57) 3 With Friends Like These (05:49) 4 Les Aimies des memes (03:54) |
 | Album: 20 of 33 Title: Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night Released: 1999-09-15 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:15:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Fuses (03:40) 2 People Do It All the Time (03:42) 3 The Free Design (03:47) 4 Blips Drips and Strips (04:28) 5 Italian Shoes Continuum (04:36) 6 Infinity Girl (03:56) 7 The Spiracles (03:40) 8 Op Hop Detonation (03:32) 9 Puncture in the Radax Permutation (05:48) 10 Velvet Water (04:24) 1 Blue Milk (11:29) 2 Caleidoscopic Gaze (08:09) 3 Strobo Acceleration (03:55) 4 The Emergency Kisses (05:53) 5 Come and Play in the Milky Night (04:38) |
| Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night : Allmusic album Review : Stereolab took an unprecedented two years between 1997s Dots & Loops and 1999s Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night, as they tended to personal matters. For a band that churned out limited-edition singles and EPs, along with an annual album, between 1992 and 1997, complete silence was a complete change of pace, but they happened to pick a good time to go into seclusion. During those two years, Stereolabs brand of sophisticated, experimental post-rock didnt evolve too much, even as their peers, colleagues, and collaborators tried other things: Tortoise got jazzier with TNT, Jim ORourke got irresistibly lush and complex with Bad Timing and Eureka, while the High Llamas fleshed out Sean OHagans Beach Boys fetish with Lab highlights on Cold and Bouncy. With the exception of ORourke, who abandoned Gastr Del Sols minimalism for grandiosity, they all offered slight expansions of what they did before instead of making great progress. Since each Stereolab album has offered a significant progression from the next, it would have been fair to assume that when they returned with Cobra, it would have been a leap forward, especially since it was co-produced with Tortoises John McEntire and ORourke. Perhaps thats the reason that the album feels slightly disappointing. The group has absorbed McEntires jazz-fusion leanings -- "Fuses" kicks off the album in compelling, free-jazz style -- and the music continually bears ORourkes attention to detail, but it winds up sounding like OHagans increasing tendency of making music thats simply sound for sounds sake. Cobra may seem that way because its pacing is off, with the first half of the album filled with concise numbers that give way to the lengthy "Blue Milk" and "Caleidoscopic Gaze" toward the end; after those two set pieces, it snaps back into succinct mode for the final three songs. Throughout it all, Stereolabs trademarks remain in place, but theyre augmented by rhythms, harmonies, horn arrangements, dissonance, muted trumpets, and electric keyboards all out of jazz from the late 60s, whether its bossa nova or fusion. All fascinating in theory and often in practice, but Cobra still winds up being less than the sum of its parts. Maybe its because the longer pieces drift, instead of hypnotize or develop; maybe its because the songs sound like afterthoughts to the arrangements (a criticism leveled at Stereolab before but never really applicable until now); maybe its just because of the odd pace of the album. In any case, Cobra never hits its stride, even as it offers a few miniature masterpieces along the way. Perhaps the time off led to the slight lack of focus, since many moments of the album illustrate that Stereolab is as fascinating as ever. But as an album, Cobra is their first record since Transient Random Noise Bursts to not be fully realized. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 33 Title: The First of the Microbe Hunters Released: 2000-05-15 Tracks: 7 Duration: 39:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Outer Bongolia (09:29) 2 Intervals (04:38) 3 Barock - Plastik (03:00) 4 Nomus et Phusis (04:23) 5 I Feel the Air (of Another Planet) (08:13) 6 Household Names (03:42) 7 Retrograde Mirror Form (06:23) |
 | Album: 22 of 33 Title: Captain Easychord Released: 2001-07 Tracks: 4 Duration: 21:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Captain Easychord (02:53) 2 Long Life Love (07:06) 3 Canned Candies (04:13) 4 Moodles (07:26) |
 | Album: 23 of 33 Title: Sound-Dust Released: 2001-08-28 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:03:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Black Ants in Sound-Dust (01:58) 2 Space Moth (07:35) 3 Captain Easychord (05:33) 4 Baby Lulu (05:13) 5 The Black Arts (05:12) 6 Hallucinex (03:55) 7 Double Rocker (05:33) 8 Gus the Mynah Bird (06:10) 9 Naught More Terrific Than Man (04:10) 10 Nothing to Do With Me (03:38) 11 Suggestion diabolique (07:52) 12 Les Bons bons des raisons (06:43) |
| Sound-Dust : Allmusic album Review : While the two years between Dots and Loops and Cobra resulted in stagnation, the two years separating Cobra and Sound-Dust find Stereolab deliberately recharging their creative juices, delving deeper into avant-garde composition and 60s swing pop in equal measures. As the album opens with the minimal "Black Ants in Sound-Dust," its evident that the group has restructured and pushed forward, even if it means that theyre adhering to their time-honored tradition of expanding their trademark sound with new arrangements and influences. Frankly, after the stagnation of Cobra, any movement forward is welcome, and initially the record seems like a bold move forward -- a Stereolab instrumental album where the arrangements and production take the proper forefront, since every recording since Amorphous Body Center has illustrated that thats the groups real strength. Then, "Captain EasyChord" kicks in with a familiar, albeit catchy, mid-tempo lounge groove and Laetitia Sadiers singsong vocals, and the album is immediately anchored in overly familiar territory. And thats the biggest problem with Sound-Dust -- by this point the groups melodies, singalong choruses, and Marxist platitudes no longer sound fresh, they often sound like a straightjacket, preventing the group from pushing forward into new territory. After all, if its taken on a pure sonic level, Sound-Dust can often be quite pleasing and intriguing, especially the sophisticated horn and flute arrangements, which producer Jim ORourke makes lushly alluring. Its hard not to wish that the entire record was constructed simply of instrumentals of this sort, since thats when Stereolab sounds fully recharged and gorgeous. As it stands, the album is held back by their insistence on simple songs and simple vocals that keep the record earthbound and solely the province of the already converted. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 33 Title: ABC Music: Radio 1 Sessions Released: 2002-10-14 Tracks: 32 Duration: 2:17:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Super Electric (04:48) 2 Changer (04:11) 3 Doubt (02:41) 4 Difficult Fourth Title (04:45) 5 Laissez Faire (03:57) 6 Revox (03:12) 7 Peng! 33 (02:57) 8 John Cage Bubble Gum (02:56) 9 Wow and Flutter (02:54) 10 Anemie (04:41) 11 Moogie Wonderland (02:34) 12 Heavy Denim (03:09) 13 French Disko (03:12) 14 Wow and Flutter (02:54) 15 Golden Ball (05:45) 16 Lo Boob Oscillator (04:33) 17 [untitled] (02:51) 18 Working Title (The Pram Song) (04:13) 1 International Colouring Contest (03:42) 2 Anamorphose (07:27) 3 Metronomic Underground (10:14) 4 Brigitte (05:50) 5 Spinal Column (03:31) 6 Tomorrow Is Already Here (04:43) 7 Les Yper Sound (06:00) 8 Heavenly Van Halen (03:09) 9 Cybeles Reverie (03:59) 10 Slow Fast Hazel (04:07) 11 Nothing to Do With Me (04:01) 12 Double Rocker (05:33) 13 Baby Lulu (05:03) 14 Naught More Terrific Than Man (03:56) |
 | Album: 25 of 33 Title: Instant 0 in the Universe Released: 2003-10-07 Tracks: 5 Duration: 23:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 "...Sudden Stars" (04:41) 2 Jaunty Monty and the Bubbles of Silence (04:12) 3 Good Is Me (05:26) 4 Microclimate (04:18) 5 Mass Riff (04:24) |
 | Album: 26 of 33 Title: Margerine Eclipse Released: 2004-01-27 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Vonal Declosion (03:33) 2 Need to Be (04:50) 3 "...Sudden Stars" (04:41) 4 Cosmic Country Noir (04:47) 5 La Demeure (04:36) 6 Margerine Rock (02:55) 7 The Man With 100 Cells (03:47) 8 Margerine Melodie (06:18) 9 Hillbilly Motobike (02:22) 10 Feel and Triple (04:53) 11 Bop Scotch (03:58) 12 Dear Marge (06:56) |
| Margerine Eclipse : Allmusic album Review : Stereolabs music is so consistent, and so consistently pretty, that it has become nearly criticism-proof; the band do what they do so completely that its almost a matter of accepting or rejecting their music whole instead of analyzing it. But while Stereolabs mix of 50s and 60s lounge, vintage electronic music, and Krautrock may have crossed over into easy listening indie pop a few albums ago, they still cant be dismissed easily. Margerine Eclipse, the bands tenth full-length, can sound a bit like a collage of pieces from their nine other albums, but the overall effect is more retrospective than repetitive. Its arguably the most direct work Stereolab have done since Emperor Tomato Ketchup (and at just under 54 minutes, its one of the shortest of their later albums) and it continues Sound-Dusts trend of gathering the sounds the band explored on their previous work and tweaking them slightly. All of this is to say that Margerine Eclipse is a strong album, even if the nagging feeling that the band aimed a little low with their artistic goals takes a small amount of pleasure out of listening to it. The album trades in the bright yet somehow bittersweet pop at which the group have always excelled, albeit in a more streamlined form than its taken over the course of their past few albums. The busy beats, whimsical noises, unconventional melodies, and, of course, lovely harmonies that define Stereolab are all present and accounted for, and theyre all very pretty, even if many of them are pretty similar to each other. But Margerine Eclipses best songs are good enough that they resemble a greatest-hits collection from an alternate universe: "...Sudden Stars" is as coolly lovely as it was on the Instant 0 in the Universe EP, with its delicate, measured synth and vocal lines rising and falling in graceful arcs of sound. "Vonal Déclosion"s twangy guitars and lush strings nod to Sean OHagans involvement, and the layers of Laetitia Sadiers vocals are seamless, but on songs like this, Mary Hansens voice is missed more than ever ("Feel and Triple" is a sweet tribute to her). "Cosmic Country Noir" is another of Margerine Eclipses standout tracks, and indeed one of the best Stereolab songs in a long time; on paper, its percolating percussion, chiming synths and guitars, and simple lyrics about the pleasures of the country might not seem all that special, but in practice its exceptionally beautiful. Perhaps Margerine Eclipses greatest accomplishment is that it isnt nearly as overcooked as some of Stereolabs other recent work. None of the songs bring the album to a halt; the closest Margerine Eclipse comes to the bands previous noodly excursions is "La Demeure," a fascinating but somewhat formless track mixing Raymond Scott-like synth sparkles with brass and unpredictable rhythmic and melodic shifts. Just as importantly, the fizzy "Margerine Rock" and "Hillbilly Motorbike," which sounds like the theme to a very stylish game show, restore some of the effortless fun that informed all of Stereolabs work before Dots and Loops. Likewise, "Bop Scotch"s mix of surf rock and synths -- as well as the sassiest vocals from Sadier in a long while -- suggests that theres still plenty of life in Stereolab. OHagans presence on the album is used judiciously, adding some warmth to the production but not indulging his own noodly tendencies either. Margerine Eclipses final track, "Dear Marge," is heavily influenced by OHagans work, both with the High Llamas and his previous collaborations with Stereolab. Its languid guitars and silky vocals threaten to slide off into a blissful haze, but then the band reprises the surprisingly convincing disco interlude they introduced on Instant 0 in the Universes "Mass Riff." It wouldve been nice to hear that part of the song developed into a full-fledged track, but it still makes the song one of the freshest on the album. Margerine Eclipse cant really be called a return to form since Stereolab didnt really deviate from the form to begin with, but it still offers a reinvigorated sound that rewards the patience of fans who have stuck with the band this long. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 33 Title: Oscillons From the Anti-Sun Released: 2005-04-25 Tracks: 35 Duration: 2:44:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Fluorescences (03:23) 2 Allures (03:29) 3 Fruition (03:51) 4 Wow and Flutter (03:08) 5 With Friends Like These (05:49) 6 Pinball (03:13) 7 Spinal Column (02:53) 8 Ping Pong (03:02) 9 Golden Ball (06:26) 10 Cybeles Reverie (02:55) 11 Nihilist Assault Group, Parts 3, 4, 5 (07:12) 12 Off-On (05:25) 1 Jenny Ondioline (03:52) 2 Young Lungs (06:33) 3 Escape Pod (From the World of Medical Observations) (03:57) 4 Moodles (07:23) 5 You Used to Call Me Sadness (05:10) 6 Captain Easychord (02:53) 7 Les Aimies des memes (03:54) 8 French Disco (04:27) 9 Transona Five (live) (05:42) 10 Moogie Wonderland (03:34) 11 Canned Candies (04:13) 12 Narco Martenot (04:20) 1 The Noise of Carpet (US single) (03:07) 2 The Free Design (03:47) 3 Les Yper-Yper Sound (05:18) 4 Pain et spectacles (03:30) 5 Ping Pong (original version) (03:03) 6 Long Life Love (07:06) 7 Jenny Ondioline (alternate version) (06:08) 8 Heavy Denim (02:49) 9 Brigitte (05:46) 10 Miss Modular (04:13) 11 Soop Groove #1 (13:06) |
 | Album: 28 of 33 Title: Fab Four Suture Released: 2006-03-06 Tracks: 12 Duration: 51:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Kyberneticka Babicka, Part 1 (04:31) 2 Interlock (04:10) 3 Eye of the Volcano (04:16) 4 Plastic Mile (05:11) 5 “Get a Shot of the Refrigerator” (04:23) 6 Visionary Road Maps (03:35) 7 Vodiak (03:19) 8 Whisper Pitch (03:55) 9 Excursions Into “oh, a-oh” (05:27) 10 I Was a Sunny Rainphase (03:27) 11 Widow Weirdo (04:30) 12 Kyberneticka Babicka, Part 2 (04:55) |
| Fab Four Suture : Allmusic album Review : An album and a singles collection at the same time, Fab Four Suture stitches together four limited-edition EPs Stereolab released in the fall of 2005 and spring of 2006. Over the years, the group has made a reputation for having EPs and singles -- and therefore, singles collections -- that are just as good, if not better, than their albums, as comps like Switched On and Aluminum Tunes attest. Stereolab has also always been very democratic about making sure fans can get their hands on nearly all of their more obscure releases in some form or another; while Fab Four Suture is a little different than their other collections in that it was designed to form an album upon the completion of the EP series, in terms of its quality, its on par with the bands most enjoyable comps. By combining the looser, more experimental feel of their EPs with the album format, Fab Four Suture ends up being more organic-feeling than Stereolabs previous album, the lovely but occasionally distant Margerine Eclipse. Indeed, the best moments here are more immediate than anything the band has done in a long time. "Interlock" boasts funky brass and basslines that are echoed by "Excursions into Oh, A-Oh," a driving motorik with fiery guitars that recalls the glory of Transient Random Noise Bursts with Announcements. "Plastic Mile" and "Eye of the Volcano" are examples of their sparkling, delicately dramatic pop at its finest, while "Visionary Road Maps" is lovely and mysterious, changing gears two-thirds of the way through from a insistent yet somehow bittersweet groove to a slower, slightly spooky coda. The more experimental and downright playful moods of Stereolab are also represented, respectively, by "Widow Weirdo," a quick-shifting track that has an odd, almost ugly little guitar lick as its only constant, and the fizzy, revved-up "Vodiak." After hearing Fab Four Suture in its album form, the EPs tend to feel like puzzle pieces without any instructions; on their own EP, the two parts of "Kybernetica Babicka" felt slight and disappointing, but they work well as the albums opening and closing themes. Even more than Margerine Eclipse, Fab Four Suture sounds like Stereolab has adapted -- if not fully healed -- from the loss of Mary Hansen, and its fitting that the groups first full-length album for Too Pure in over a decade finds them consolidating their strengths rather than completely reinventing their sound. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 33 Title: Serene Velocity: A Stereolab Anthology Released: 2006-09-04 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:16:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jenny Ondioline, Part 1 (7" version) (03:42) 2 Crest (06:07) 3 French Disko (03:35) 4 Ping Pong (03:02) 5 Wow and Flutter (7" version) (03:02) 6 Cybeles Reverie (04:42) 7 Metronomic Underground (07:55) 8 Percolator (04:15) 9 Brakhage (05:30) 10 Miss Modular (04:13) 11 Infinity Girl (03:56) 12 Come and Play in the Milky Night (04:38) 13 Space Moth (07:35) 14 Double Rocker (05:33) 15 Vonal Declosion (03:27) 16 "...Sudden Stars" (04:41) |
| Serene Velocity: A Stereolab Anthology : Allmusic album Review : Whittling Stereolabs impressive (in terms of both size and quality) discography down to a single-disc retrospective is a daunting task, but Rhinos collection handles it well enough that only the fussiest completists could complain. Granted, Serene Velocity -- a title so apt it feels like it was borrowed from some long-lost, limited-run Lab 7" -- gets a head start by concentrating on the bands output during their time with Elektra, but thats still 13 years, seven albums, and several EPs worth of material to choose from. Nevertheless, the collection hones in on each releases definitive tracks with lock-groove accuracy: "Jenny Ondioline" and "Crest" capture Transient Random Noise-Bursts with Announcements bracing, droning sound, while "Ping Pong" and "Wow and Flutter" reflect the more overtly pop direction of Mars Audiac Quintet. Emperor Tomato Ketchup is the only album to have three tracks culled from it ("Cybeles Reverie," "Metronomic Underground," and "Percolator"), all of which show how the group incorporated jazz, funk, hip-hop, and chamber pop into what many consider their masterpiece. The more abstract, aloof feel of Stereolabs work from Dots and Loops to Sound-Dust is well-represented by "Brakhage," "Infinity Girl," and "Double Rocker," while "Vonal Declosion" and "...Sudden Stars" mark Margerine Eclipses return to poppier terrain. Indeed, the whole collection is so even-handed that it may bore long-term fans (the inclusion of Sound-Dusts "Space Moth" instead of its lead single, "Captain Easychord," is the only remotely controversial choice here), but it works very well as a primer for new listeners. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 33 Title: Eaten Horizons or the Electrocution of Rock Released: 2007-09 Tracks: 24 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Crest (?) 2 John Cage Bubblegum (?) 3 Mountain Instrumental (?) 4 Reich Song (?) 5 Cybeles Reverie, Part 1 (?) 6 Cybeles Reverie, Part 2 (?) 7 French Disko (?) 8 Happy Pop Song (?) 9 Jenny Ondioline (?) 10 Lucia Pamela (?) 11 NWW Drone Instrumental (?) 12 Plastic Pulse One (?) 13 Plastic Pulse Two (?) 14 Plastic Pulse Three (?) 15 Plastic Pulse Four (?) 16 Sad Chicago Organ (?) 17 Brigitte, Part 1 (?) 18 Brigitte, Part 2 (?) 19 Infinity Girl, Part 1 (?) 20 Infinity Girl, Part 2 (?) 21 Cobra Tune (?) 22 Heavy Munich (?) 23 ZigZag Song (?) 24 Monday Song (?) |
 | Album: 31 of 33 Title: Chemical Chords Released: 2008-08-18 Tracks: 16 Duration: 56:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Neon Beanbag (03:49) 2 Three Women (03:45) 3 One Finger Symphony (02:05) 4 Chemical Chords (05:12) 5 The Ecstatic Static (04:43) 6 Valley Hi! (02:14) 7 Silver Sands (03:07) 8 Pop Molecule (02:15) 9 Self Portrait With “Electric Brain” (03:16) 10 Nous vous demandons pardons (04:51) 11 Cellulose Sunshine (02:36) 12 Fractal Dream of a Thing (03:37) 13 Daisy Click Clack (03:28) 14 Vortical Phonothèque (03:07) 15 The Nth Degrees (04:13) 16 Magne-Music (03:53) |
| Chemical Chords : Allmusic album Review : At times, Stereolabs music seems so unchanging that it feels more like it was generated by a laser-guided, lounge pop-meets-Krautrock machine than an actual "groop," but the small tweaks they make to their master plan on each album end up making a big impact. On Chemical Chords, Stereolabs 4AD debut, they take a much more pop-focused approach than their immediately previous work -- which is saying something, since neither Fab Four Suture nor Margerine Eclipse were among their more experimental moments in the first place. Actually, the shortness and directness of these songs could be seen as a bigger experiment for the band than their frequent lockgrooves and hypnotic passages; with those trimmed, Chemical Chords presents a version of Stereolabs sound that is just as vivid as their earlier output, but fizzing with immediacy and urgency. "Neon Beanbag" jumps in hooks first, opening the album with a surprisingly swift rhythm and Laetitia Sadiers more familiar, bopping backing vocals. "One Finger Symphony"s animated brass, guitars, and percussion suggest gears rotating and levers lifting and falling in playful but somewhat sinister fashion; "Daisy Click Clack" swishes in on brisk drums and a quaint melody that could be borrowed from a piano rag. Despite its name, Chemical Chords actually features some of Stereolabs most organic-sounding music in some time, downplaying their arsenal of analog synths in favor of live instrumentation -- the burbling synths on "Self Portrait with Electric Brain" support the songs snazzy brass and strings rather than dominating them. Likewise, Stereolabs version of "going pop" means looking beyond what "pop" means in the moment. A strong 60s feel permeates much of the album, but the way the band reconfigures these sounds prevents it from sounding archaic. "Three Women"s rock-solid bass and tambourine shout out to Motowns heyday, but its buzzing organs and bongos feel like they were channeled from a long-lost exotic novelty album. "Cellulose Sunshine"s gorgeous lysergic chamber pop could be a throwback, if it werent so modishly sleek, and "Pop Molecule"s massive synths and big, backward drums offer a futuristic take on acid rock. The band also revisits its own pop heyday on "Valley Hi!" and "Nous Vous Demandons Pardons," boasting the clever counterpoint and fuzzy Moogs of the Mars Audiac Quintet era. Chemical Chords manages to be even more concisely charming than that album, sacrificing little of Stereolabs distinctive sound for its immediacy. | ||
 | Album: 32 of 33 Title: Not Music Released: 2010-11-15 Tracks: 13 Duration: 56:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Everybody’s Weird Except Me (03:34) 2 Supah Jaianto (05:07) 3 So Is Cardboard Clouds (03:49) 4 Equivalences (02:23) 5 Leleklato Sugar (03:04) 6 Silver Sands (Emperor Machine mix) (10:20) 7 Two Finger Symphony (03:47) 8 Delugeoisie (03:41) 9 Laserblast (03:25) 10 Sun Demon (03:18) 11 Aelita (03:49) 12 Pop Molecules (Molecular Pop 2) (02:03) 13 Neon Beanbag (Atlas Sound mix) (07:57) |
| Not Music : Allmusic album Review : Though Not Music was released in 2010, it was recorded at the same time as 2008’s Chemical Chords, after touring in support of which Stereolab went on hiatus. Despite its semi-archival status, the album sounds fresh, and distinct from Chemical Chords. It shares the streamlined feel of that album, but many of these songs don’t fit that album’s distillation of lounge, Motown, and French pop elements -- and those that do, such as the brisk, brassy “Supah Jaianto” and “Everybody’s Weird Except Me,” sound like warped reflections of them. Instead, Not Music charts the more adventurous turns the band’s sessions took, providing the more experimental yang to Chemical Chords bubbly pop yin. These songs take a more cerebral, yet still playful, approach that starts with song titles such as “Delugeoisie” and trickles down to clever arrangements. There are moments that evoke Stereolabs quintessential sounds; “Equivalences” rides a descending keyboard motif that the group’s fans will recognize immediately, while the dreamy waltz “Aelita” and “Lelekato Sugar”s mix of fuzz bass, marimba, and Laetitia Sadiers sweetly whispered philosophical nothings evoke the Mars Audiac Quintet/Emperor Tomato Ketchup era. Even more intriguing are songs like “Laserblast,” which mixes Raymond Scott-esque percolating percussion with new wave angles and knotty chords, and “Pop Molecules (Molecular Pop 2),” a heavy grind that features a pungent sax solo the likes of which hasn’t been heard since Peter Gunn’s heyday. However, Not Musics most exciting moment has to be “Silver Sands" [Emperor Machine Mix], a ten-minute marathon that moves from swift motorik to disco to downtempo interludes, all the while making the most of Sadiers velvety alto. It’s almost unrecognizable from the Chemical Chords track and should scratch the itch of fans longing for a latter-day “Jenny Ondioline.” Atlas Sounds remix of “Neon Beanbag” follows suit, as Bradford Cox returns the favor of Sadiers Logos appearance with a breathy, droning rework of the track that drifts away just as hazily as it began. Not Music is all over the place in the best possible way, and fans who love Stereolabs gracefully intellectual side will especially appreciate it. Taken with Chemical Chords, it’s a testament to just how much ground the band could cover while remaining purely Stereolab. | ||
 | Album: 33 of 33 Title: Switched On Volumes 1–3 Released: 2018-09-28 Tracks: 48 Duration: 3:40:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Super-Electric (05:23) 2 Doubt (03:25) 3 Au Grand Jour (03:28) 4 The Way Will Be Opening (04:07) 5 Brittle (03:47) 6 Contact (08:17) 7 Au Grand Jour (03:40) 8 High Expectation (03:32) 9 The Light That Will Cease to Fail (03:23) 10 Changer (04:54) 1 Harmonium (05:55) 2 Lo Boob Oscillator (06:36) 3 Mountain (04:05) 4 Revox (04:13) 5 French Disko (03:35) 6 Exploding Head Movie (04:48) 7 Eloge D’Eros (03:52) 8 Tone Burst (Country) (02:12) 9 Animal or Vegetable (A Wonderful Wooden Reason) (13:32) 10 John Cage Bubblegum (03:18) 11 Sadistic (02:36) 12 Farfisa (02:23) 13 Tempter (05:52) 1 Pop Quiz (04:22) 2 The Extension Trip (03:43) 3 How to Play Your Internal Organs Overnight (03:58) 4 The Brush Descends the Length (03:08) 5 Melochord Seventy-Five (03:39) 6 Space Moment (04:20) 7 Iron Man (03:27) 8 The Long Hair of Death (04:48) 9 You Used to Call Me Sadness (04:00) 10 New Orthophony (06:26) 11 Speedy Car (05:00) 12 Golden Atoms (05:18) 13 Ulan Bator (03:14) 14 One Small Step (04:16) 1 One Note Samba / Surfboard (09:10) 2 Cadriopo (03:09) 3 Klang Tone (05:36) 4 Get Carter (03:23) 5 1000 Miles an Hour (04:32) 6 Percolations (03:22) 7 Seeperbold (05:08) 8 Check and Double Check (04:03) 9 Munich Madness (03:48) 10 Metronomic Underground (Wagon Christ mix) (07:51) 11 The Incredible He Woman (03:31) |