The pairing of French vocalist Laetitia Sadier and British guitarist Tim Gane proved to be a fruitful one. Stereolab may not have been one of the most commercially prominent band of the ‘90s, but it was one of the most intriguing and compelling.
Musically, Stereolab’s earliest work bears the influence of the Velvet Underground’s endless guitar riffing, the Silver Apples’ incorporation of early synthesizers in a rock context, and the repetitive motorik beats and experimental tendencies of such Krautrock bands as Neu, Can, and Faust. Their later work shows them adopting more contemporary electronic music techniques, as they built their songs off looped sounds rather than guitar riffs. Whereas before the songs droned and whined, now they burbled and bounced. The influence of minimalist composer Steve Reich seems evident.
As for the vocals, Sadier’s lovely voice floats dispassionately yet beautifully over the fuzz. She alternates between French and English, and her lyrics are prone to philosophical, cultural, economic, and political analysis, as well as more personal themes. The vocal arrangements are often innovative and hypnotic, especially after the arrival of backing vocalist Mary Reynolds.
Stereolab is a band worthy of a thorough listen. So here you have it.
Playlist 1: Early Work
The best of Stereolab’s early work can be heard on their first two compilations of assorted singles and compilations, the super-catchy Switched on Stereolab (1992) and the follow-up Refried Ectoplasm (Switched on Volume 2), both of which dominate Playlist One. The songs here are hook-filled and utterly charming. There’s plenty of guitar riffing, and the electronics are vintage—Farfisa organs, Moog synthesizers, Mellotron keyboards, and more.
Playlist 2: Transient Random-Noise Bursts
The excellent Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements (1993) saw Stereolab at their most noisy and abrasive, with primitive synth drones buoyed by ragged guitar riffs, the vocals at times distorted. Playlist Two provides a healthy sampling of Transient, with a couple contemporaneous singles included for good measure.
Playlist 3: Transition
The LP-length Playlist Three shows Stereolab retreating a little from the harshness of Transient, with shorter, more accessible songs, and then (on the Music for the Amorphous Body Study Center EP, 1995) starting to look towards more innovative electronic techniques.
Playlist 4: Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996) was a breakthrough for the band—at once more delicate and accessible than their previous work, yet at the same time more experimental. Their composition techniques changed, basing the songs on electronically generated loops rather than organ drones and guitar riffs.
Playlist Four offers an LP-length condensation of Emperor Tomato Ketchup.
Playlist 5: Later Work
Stereolab’s later ‘90s work showed them further incorporating electronic influences, as well as ideas from jazz and contemporary minimalist classical composers. Plenty of good stuff here.
Cover Art:
- Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements and band photo: Source, Discogs.com, Fair use.
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