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Stereolab

Switched On 6½ ( 1992 )
Super-Electric / Doubt / Au Grand Jour' / The Way Will Be Opening / Brittle / Contact / Au Grand Jour / High Expectation / The Light That Will Cease To Fail / Changer

Formed in 1990 by Lætitia Sadier - vocals, moog, trombone, vox, tamborine, guitar, korg and Tim Gane - guitar, moog, farfisa, vox organ, tambourine, bongo. An assortment of instruments then? Well, yeah! This release collected together the groups first three singles and was released on Too Pure records at the same time as their debut album 'Peng'. To be truthful, much of this compilation is probably inessential to all but the Stereolab completist but it does show their sound falling into place. 'Super-Electric' is the most accomplished of all the songs here and combines a Velvet Underground guitar drone with the repetitive structure and groove of Can, or Neu. It's a song that sounds especially great turned up loud, and when the guitars really hit their stride - creates a wonderful noise. 'Doubt' is a jaunty little guitar drone ( can a drone be jaunty? ) with pop melodies and lovely interweaving vocals. 'Au Grand Jour'' ditches the groove, mixes in some electronic sound effects, has clear vocals and slightly ramshackle musical backing. It sounds very 'Velvet Underground And Nico' albeit transported into the 1990's. The second 'Au Grand Jour' is a full band recording, the guitars riff away, the drums primitively pound and it's ok, if not exactly strong melodically.

Some of the songs here were b-sides and aren't as perfect as later Stereolab songs, or b-sides either, for that matter. We do get the sweet ballad 'The Way Will Be Opened' which manages to be affecting, 'Brittle' is rather messy actually - more drone than melody or groove this time out. 'Contact' is eight minutes long and rooted in the guitar sound of early Velvet Underground. Imagine 'Sister Ray' with no lyrics. Not an appealing proposistion? Well, this isn't either. 'High Expectations' is nice with some of Laetita's vocal stylings coming into place. In fact, listening to this compilation is really more historically interesting in the grander scheme of all things Stereolab than being an accomplished work in its own right. Still, they would get better, and rather quickly too. The process of releasing lots of limited edition singles allowed them to experiment and find their place.

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This is a 'new phase' album review. The title of the record sums its contents so perfectly, i'll keep this relatively brief. 'Tone Burst' is unsatisfactory. A groove is built up and worked upon. It goes on for several minutes. A brief insert of vocals - more groove. Is this an annoucement? It's not anything arriving. 'Our Trinitone Blast' is all random noise but with a great groove running underneath, lots of shouted vocals, lots of thrilling guitars. 'Pack Yr Romantic Mind' is totally gorgeous and points the way toward a Stereolab future soon to come where the guitars were much less prevailant. 'I'm Going Out Of My Way' and 'Golden Ball' repeat the sound of earlier Stereolab - lo-fi Velvet Underground guitars with an 'experimental' approach to song structure, shall we say. 'Pause' is the sound of the human voice, lyrical meaning irrelevant. It's beautiful, too. 'Jenny Ondioline', oh sweet eighteen minute long 'Jenny Ondioline'!! It's loud, long and thrilling but should have closed the album rather than be placed where it was. 'Analogue Rock' is a successful experiment in guitar and electronic sound with a lyric 'All good things to come, all good things to come, will come, welcome' - repeated over and over. They make a virtue of repetition. 'Crest' is absolutely fantastic, a totally together guitar groove with clear, beautiful vocals. It's followed by the appropriately titled 'Lock-Groove Lullaby' which once you've heard it, will know why it was titled that.

'Transient Random Noise Bursts With Announcements' shows signs of a very singular talent, other signs of sheer beauty, other signs that don't seem like signs at all. Nothing seems real, but you want to carry on watching them grow.

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Readers Comments davey "'Tone Burst' is unsatisfactory." I used to think this but now hear it like this:... it sounds like a heavy steamroller on a rough concrete road and every now and again it'll run over a marble pebble and crush it to dust ..... golden ball is their best track ever and Crest makes me squeal - what a beauty - oh momma cass 10/10. interesting Dots and loops got 9.5 ... it is an absolutely fantastic LP and a cheeky boy favourite of mine. crackin'

The success commercially, however modest of the 'French Disko' single, gave Stereolab something to work with. So, the very first thing you notice about this record is how much better 'sounding' it is as far production is concerned. Mary Hansen was now a full-time member and adds her vocals parts throughout, Sean O Hagen helps out with additional instrumentation, and all is well. The opening 'Three Dee Melodie' is all Stereolab organ drone and nothing much to get excited about musically but vocally this is strong, the vocal melody and harmonies carry the song completely and ensure that it's enjoyable. The newly discovered 'pop' Stereolab is very much to the fore with 'Wow And Flutter' which was released as a single. The organ continues, the vocals carry on and the melody is strong. Laetitia is a wonder through this song, which isn't a very scientific examination I realise, but there you go! 'Transona Five' has a nice bouncy rhythm created by the bass and guitars, the moog and keyboard effects come in.... 'they are one and the same, two inevitables...' repeated vocally, which added to the rhythm creates something of a flowing, hypnotic mantra. 'Des Etoiles Electroniques' is a dreamy french pop, 'Ping Pong' just perfect pop, full stop. A brilliant single which makes you happy. The organ and guitar drone returns for 'Anamorphose' which also includes more interweaving vocal harmonies. Speaking of vocal harmonies, 'Three Longers Later' opens with 'la, la, la' parts over which Laetita sings, and it's a lovely sound. Half way through the song the guitars and keyboards kick in, drums. This transition from quiet to loud works very well.

The album keeps on picking up, just gets better and better. 'Nhilist Assault Group' is back to the guitars of 'French Disko' but mixed quieter to allow for other instrumentation to flesh out the sound, whilst 'International Colouring Contest' is somedays my favourite Stereolab song of all time. The vocal sends a chill all through me, the dreamy pop structure with added 'ba ba ba' harmonies and the chorus is just delioursly, dreamily gorgeous. At which point, it appears the album has reached a peak of sorts. The remaining songs are more variable in quality than the opening set. 'The Stars Our Destination' has nice vocals, but this time without a strong musical melody to back it up. 'Transporte Sans Bouger' is welcome sonic variation, back to the guitar and keyboard mix Stereolab do so well. L'Enfer Des Formes' is more 'Wow And Flutter' pop music, but very well done even a second time round. 'Outer Accelerator' wouldn't have sounded too out of place on 'Transient Random Noise Bursts' and reprises the style of parts of that record, 'New Orthophony' similarly so, but this time with the benefits a little money in the production brings. The closing 'Fiery Yellow' might be a Stereolab attempt at creating a Beach Boys 'Friends' style instrumental, at least, that's what it sounds like. It's a little bare ultimately, and too long, although some of the sounds and percussion are nice. So, overall? Well, an improvement for me over past Sterolab efforts, certainly. Both the most accomplished and varied set of music they'd released by this stage, and containing enough highlights of genius to ensure a high grade.

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'Refried Electroplasm', subtitled 'Switched On Vol 2' because this is indeed the second collection rounding up stray Stereolab single sides. And yeah, it's better than the first such compilation, although still not Stereolab in full flight. The songs here date from immediately before and during the 'Transient Random Noise Bursts' era and contain Stereolab's first near hit single with the marvellous guitar pop that is 'French Disko'. But, before that we have 'Harmonium' which is all guitars, vocals and keyboard drone. It's good though, the guitars thrash away and the vocals are great! 'Lo Boob Oscillator' has Laetitia singing in her native French and la-la-lo-la-ing to great effect! It's pop, it's art, it's a work of art and lots of pleasant fun. 'Mountain' is more of a lo-fi guitar based song than the pop on display through parts of 'Lo Boob Oscillator'. Thing is though, Stereolab do this kind of Velvet Underground guitar thing very well. OK, so that's a lazy comparison, it doesn't really sound very much at all like The Velvet Underground. It's difficult to describe, I can't easily think of a comparable sound. 'Revox' simply carries on with this guitar/keyboard sound and then we reach 'French Disko'. The guitars here positively soar, the vocals are full of melody and the song rattles along at a fair pace for it's perfect pop length. 'Exploding Head Movie' and 'Eloge D'Eros' sound very much like b-sides and aren't upto the quality of the best work from 'Transient Random Noise Bursts'. Speaking of which, 'Tone Burst' is included here in an alternate version with a little weird country flavour. It still sounds like it's been beamed from outer-space mind you, or a Sixties version of the future, at least. One day, all bands will sound like this! If only they did....

'Animal Or Vegetable' runs to an alarming thirteen minute length, opens very quietly with faint vocal sounds and a keyboard drone running in the background. After about four (?) minutes, drums kick in. The guitars appear and rattle away, everything continues like this, continues and continues, and it makes 'Sister Ray' seem accessible. Of course, this kind of Stereolab experimentation would later be more beautifully focused with the likes of the 'Emperor Tomato Ketchup' LP. As for now, you wouldn't want to listen to this particular song very often, I suspect. 'John Cage Bubblegum' is much more like it, a fast paced noisy guitar delight great listened to loud. 'Sadistic' and 'Farfisa' don't really amount to very much at all, though the closing 'Tempter' is strangely beautiful and possibly the best thing on this album. The keyboard creates the requisite drone, percussion repeats through the track like the sound of a beating heart. The keyboard sounds sad, the vocals sound beautiful with interweaving harmonies. Everything works together somehow in any event to create a spine-chillingly beautiful song.

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The important word in the opening song is 'metronomic'. This is a glorious eight minute Can/Neu! inspired groove. Strong bass melodies, Stereolab percussion, Mary Hansen repeats the same vocal phrase over and over which only adds to this songs hypnotic feel. When the organ comes in, everything is working, everything is glorious, glorious for the full seven minutes, fifty five seconds. And then we have an art-pop song! 'Cyberle's Reverie' was another Stereolab assault on the pop charts, as far as charting goes another case of nearly but not quite - in an ideal world this would have been a massive hit. The vocals and strings combine into a gloriously rich and textured sound. 'Percolator' is fast, funky and groovy with quickly taken French vocal lines. 'Les Yper Sound' is hard to even begin to explain. I don't know what instruments have been used, a combination of keyboards and electronics, I guess. We have such a happy repeating beat, melody lines over the top, Laetitia sounding gorgeous all over that. Happy, happy, happy! Especially when the harmonies come in, everything becomes impossibly beautiful as well as happy. Sigh. 'Spark Plug' is a guitar/keyboard led groove with more strong and melodic vocals from both Laetitia and Mary. 'OLV 26' is very guitar/keyboard drone groove, back to an earlier Stereolab sound but for the fantastic and rich production. Little repeating melodies go through this song which added to the luxurious sound, keeps you listening.

The improbably titled 'The Noise Of Carpet' opens the second half of this album, all guitars and quickly taken vocal melodies, an exhilarating mixture of sounds. It doesn't sound like a carpet at all, but then, what does??? 'Tomorrow Is Already Here' opens with a repeating, slow guitar figure. A repeating, slow keyboard line comes in. Bass, a slow but insistent drum pattern. An organ, and the arrival of the vocals. This is carefully structured music and it sounds wonderful. The title song is an enjoyable groove with much electronic percussion and noise effects, 'Monstre Sacre' slowing things down with beautiful keyboard and bass lines. 'Motoroller Scalatron' is a hugely enjoyable guitar piece with repeating vocals and melodies, repetition made an absolute virtue. 'Slow Fast Hazel' has a gorgeous string arrangement and lovely vocals, the closing 'Anonymous Collective' a rather indistinct way to close things, but this is marvellous album all the same.

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Readers Comments spartacus weaselsrippedmydrums@yahoo.com this was my first stereolab record. it was because of this record that i started to get into more bands that are in this genre (if thats even possible). that is an incredible tast considering i had previously been on a rather large zappa rampage. my favourites are Cybele's Reverie, and Percolator. the beginning of Percolator is extremely catchy, and still find myself singing that melody all over the place. all around, this album was damn good...i just wish i knew what she was singing about

'Dots And Loops' became the third ( fourth counting 'Switched On Vol 2' ) Stereolab album to chart within the UK top thirty. They didn't exactly take the easy route though. Following the successful singles from 'Mars Audiac Quintet' and the acclaimed 'Emperor Tomato Ketchup' they put out this little set of songs, something very difficult to initially get into - a set of songs sprawling yet still containing 'a sound', but not a sound likely to please fans of 'French Disko' or 'Wow And Flutter'. Suffice to say, this isn't an obvious record to have released to consolidate their commercial fortunes. We open with 'Brakhage' which won't sound immediately dissimilar to long term Sterolab fans but lacks any obvious single hook rather relying on shifting melodies, lots of percussive sounds and rather understated, if still beautiful vocals. It's the sort of song you need ( and wish ) to listen to three times in a row to get your head round. Not that it's a difficult song, don't get me wrong. It's actually very clever in it's use of understated melodies and vocals, both. 'Miss Modular' was the lead single, and whilst lacking the pop thrills of 'Wow And Flutter' is certainly very pleasant to listen to! It sounds accomplished, but accomplished within what, i'm not exactly sure. Perhaps accomplished 'within Stereolab', for finally Stereolab are creating something totally unique here. You can't point your finger and say 'velvet underground' or 'krautrock' or 'jazz-samba' although all of those elements have helped shape this sound. Basically, it sounds like Stereolab. It's unmistakable.

'The Flower Called Nowhere' is simply astonishing. Again, we don't get any obvious melodic hooks, nothing you can easily grab hold of. We do get an utterly gorgeous mixture of music and vocals, though. Nice lead and harmonies, little bits of Piano, little surf guitar type sounds. Lots of electronic percussion shifting around the vocals. Little 'la, la-la, la-la, la la' vocal parts! It's totally Stereolab, and when it reaches the two minute fifteen mark - the vocals soar and the surf type noises enter. Possibly not an actual guitar, maybe created some other way, but whatever - it sounds lovely. I could listen to this song all day, over and over. It creates such an atmosphere. None of the lyrics are intelligible, by the way. They could be French lyrics. They could equally be English lyrics! You can make out the songs title, so at least PART of the lyrics are English. Stereolab often switch between languages mid-song without you even noticing! Well, they do here. It hardly matters when the overall sound is as wonderful as this. 'Diagonals' is a wonderful piece of Can/Neu influenced groove music, but still sounds more like Stereolab than anything else, and still sounds completely unlike the music they were creating just three years before. The sound here is much richer, the vocals are better - everything is more confident and assured. 'Prisoner Of Mars' contains an especially beautiful lead vocal amid electronic dub influenced keyboard lines. It's a soft, mellow song, sung in English - and totally beautifully lovely! 'Rainbo Conversation' wraps up the first half of the album with lots of electronic percussion, decent melody and yet more great vocals.

'Refractions In The Plastic Pulse' is seventeen minutes long. But, wait! Don't turn off, don't tune out! It's a multi-part song, with sections sounding radically different to each other but led into very well, very easily. Besides, the opening sequence is totally beautiful - vocals as gorgeous as any you'll hear outside of The Beach Boys. The French lyrics come in, so that's one thing The Beach Boys don't do! It's all down to the sound. You don't generally draw 'meaning' from Stereolab songs. It's all about creating a sort of art-pop-rock. And, it works. It works here. The initial sequence of the song fades out gradually to lead into an altogether more funky sequence that just brings a big smile onto your face! Fast tempos, quite frankly silly melodies - yet still the great vocals carry on and on. A mellow sequence of music and vocals follows this, followed by almost techno type noises, albeit pretty mellow techno type noises. Of course, following this, a synthesized string section enters! Well, why the hell not? So this track is seventeen minutes long? What the hell. Each and every single minute of it is fully satisfying. In contrast, 'Parsec' is all soft techno beats, heavenly harmonies and a very fast tempo. 'Ticker-Tape Of The Unconscious' has a fantastic introduction, very movie-like - but within an electronic framework. As a song, this is all groove and percussion. No one single melody to easily grab hold of, although you could be forgiven for just concentrating on the vocal melodies.

The closing 'Contronaura' ( try saying that after a drink or two! ) is again, shifting melodically, beautiful vocally. Lots of groove and invention! It's nine minutes long, but as with 'Refractions....' every part of the song is interesting with different melody sequences and vocal sounds, different tempo's. I should come to some sort of conclusion now, shouldn't I? I don't know quite what to say. I've tried to describe the songs here, but there is so much more. This is music that is hard to fathom how on earth it was created in the first place. And, that's always a compliment.

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Readers Comments Chris aether12@Yahoo.co.uk For me this is their masterpiece; more variety & innovation than previously, slick production, slight but strong forays into drum n' bass/techno (works superbly on "Refractions"); it seems to gell as a piece better than "Transient" or "Mars" and avoids the leaden groove-plodding of those records less successful tracks. "Refractions", "Miss Modular", and "Contranatura" stand out as the best cuts. The only disc after this to come close for me is "Sound-Dust". Mark markcox@macmail.com I'm inclined to agree with Chris on this one. This was the first 'Lab album I bought, and it took me a long, long time before I really ‘got’ it in its entirety. (So much so in fact that I didn't buy another of their records for two years...!) And that's the beauty of it, there's such exquisite detail throughout, so many little false starts, interweaving melodies and strange codas to lose yourself in. Highlights for me include the intro to 'Diagonals' and the quaint organ run on 'Parsec', and of course the opening one-two of 'Brakhage' and 'miss Modular', enough to chase any blues away in an idyllic Gallic Sunday breeze. In another world, this is happily sat in permanence at the top of the charts.

This release is the third in a series of 'sampler' Stereolab compilations, and like previous such releases comprises single and EP tracks with assorted oddities. The first six songs were released as 'Amorphous Body Study Center' long since deleted and originally limited to just under 10,000 copies on CD. The songs on 'Aluminium Tunes cover the years 1994 through to 1997, regarded by many fans as a peak period for the group. Or should that be groop? That reference will go over the heads of anyone who hasn't bought a Stereolab record. But, if you haven't, I want to know WHY THE HELL NOT???? When we have such swoon-some songs as 'Pop Quiz' which opens this whole box of delights? Lots of 'la la' and 'dum dum' vocal harmonies, a few strings here and there. It's called 'Pop Quiz' and that really is SUCH an appropriate title - it's packed jam full of melody. 'The Extension Trip' continues the lush sound of 'Pop Quiz' with added weird keyboard noises for good measure. The wonderfully titled 'How To Play Your Internal Organs Overnight' contains one of the most beautiful vocal sections Stereolab have ever recorded. Mary and Laetitia sing in harmony, no words - just vocal phrases. The string section pops in, little electronic noises. It's hard to explain, it demands to be listened to. It's truly a beautiful thing. 'The Brush Descends The Length' has more great melodies, both vocal and musical. A very memorable song! More great vocal work, by gods! A classic Stereolab repeated lyric in...the wait...of the...fi-nal cri-sis. All is well :) 'Melochord Seventy-Five' re-introduces a Velvet Underground guitar groove last heard done this well on 'Mars Audiac Quintet'. 'Space Moment', like 'How To Play Your Internal Organs Overnight' is impossibly beautiful without containing any actual real intelligible words at all. Leaving the songs from 'Amorphous Body Center' we reach 'Iron Man' which is all percussive groove, a little piece of atmospherics. 'The Long Hair Of Death' is more enjoyable guitar groove, 'You Used To Call Me Sadness' truly gorgeous. Such melody! It'll be swimming around your brain for days on end after two listens. Trust me on that. 'New Orthophony' is six minutes long, extended from it's 'Mars Audiac Quintet' appearance. And, it's a thing to behold.

The second disc of this two CD compilation opens with the nine minute long 'One Note Samba'. It uses a Stan Getz kind of Bossanova to decent effect but is really a bit too long and not particularly interesting either. The keyboard and machine groove of 'Cadriopo' is full of enticing melodic moments and a winner in my book! 'Klang Tone' is more 'Mars Audiac Quintet' styled guitar groove madness. Very enjoyable it is too. 'Get Carter' and '1000 Miles An Hour' are perfunctory, 'Percolations' a very strange, almost Aphex Twin piece of noise. In fact, this second CD rather descends in quality given the high enjoyability factor of much of the first disc. 'Munich Madness' and 'The Incredible He Woman' are both good fun, but little else here is of true quality. Still, you do get twenty five songs, total. And, I've had many a happy hour listening to 'Aluminium Tunes'.

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The opening 'Fuses' sounds like Eric Dolphy has wandered into the recording studio. Pure dissonant Dolphy gold all through the introduction. 'People Do It All The Time' is a more familiar sounding Stereolab song. No unusual or inventive elements are added to raise it above average. Still, who cares when the next song is 'The Free Design'? More Jazz influences, a fast paced, rip-roaring ride! Now, Stereolab are a group famed for apparently always sounding the same. One listen to 'Dots And Loops' after listening to 'Transient Random Noise Bursts' should put that little critiscm to bed. That's just the half of it. Each Stereolab record has different influences, different elements to the sound. 'Blips Drips And Strips' sounds utterly lush in terms of performance and production. 'Italian Shoes Continuum' could be a song to play to a Stereolab novice. If they don't 'get off' on the vocal work ( nonsense syllables and harmonies ) or the faintly Brian Wilson esque feel of the rhythm and sounds - chances are they won't turn out to be big Stereolab fans.

One of both the stranger and more beautiful songs here is 'Puncture In The Radah Permutation'. It shares the airy, dreamy feel of some of the songs from 'Dots And Loops'. The saxophones employed through 'Fuses' pop up on occasion to add to the overal sound. Minimalistic keyboards lines give way to a swirling sci-fi sound. The drums kicks in, the percussion goes off and 'does one'. It builds and builds. The vocals are as great as you'd expect. A great track! 'Velvet Water' isn't a highlight - it's so 'light' it barely seems to exist at all. 'Blue Milk' is an eleven ( count em' ) minute long experimental piece and whilst containing several nice sections, is rather trying over its full length. 'Caleidoscopic Gaze' surely benefits from the presence of High Llamas man and frequent Stereolab collaborator Sean O'Hagen. It comes across as typical of the kind of instrumentals The High Llamas produce before morphing into a nice vocal section amid lots of odd electronic noises. It's not a pop song, but it is fairly startling. 'Strobo Acceleration' is a throwback to the Stereolab of 'Mars Audiac Quintet'. We get guitars! We get French lyrics over the top of those guitars! Yes, it's good! 'The Emergency Hisses' is a lovely mellow piece with very alluring vocals. The closing 'Come And Play In The Milky Night' is also worth sticking around for.

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Readers Comments Jacob Helfman dr_demento7@hotmail.com A delightful album. But, like most poeple, I was taken aback and didn't like this as much as their other releases. Maybe it's becuase of it's monotonous sound or the length. Despite all this, it's is a terrific album, showing Stereolab's different, more experimental, electronica lo-fi approach. The vocals are gentle and easy flowing. Some songs are catchy and have wordless melody phrases that get stuck in your head. Unique, bouncy, flowing, rythms loop around and around. Don't worry, Stereolab's not heading towards a totally different direction though. Their just advancing to a slightly lighter, noise pop style. Very worth owning, alot of noises that I bet you haven't heard before. td itchybugg@hotmail.com ok I like your reviews and love stereolab too, they make me feel the same way as you, But to give cobra phazes a 7.5 is wrong it is not a good lp. and if you give that a 7.5 and a good lp like sound dust an 8 it makes your system less credible! Hey they make like 8 great records. One bad one is not too bad! peter hall hunter_hall@attglobal.net This is the Lab's finest hour. They are more ambitious, courageous,experimental, various and beautiful here than anywhere else. They even make the ugliness of Blue Milk beautiful. An astonishing marvellous, achievement. Sean murphey@tecinfo.com Itchybug, please give this another listen. Any lab effort must bear repeated listens. You will find that 71/2 is a little low, score wise. Peter, you have hit it on the head. The true Lab fan is one who "gets it", and comes to realise one release cannot be compared with another but must stand on it's own. It's all or nothing. Cobra is all.

Stereolab throughout their career have often produced interesting b-sides and additional material out-side of their regular album releases. This is a mini-album in concept ( though still running to nearly 40 minutes playing time ) comprising of songs Tim Gane had intended for b-side releases. It also adds in an out-take from their 'Dots And Loops' record for good measure. It ditches the heavily produced sound of their previous couple of records for a more playful, looser sound. Well, perhaps looser isn't the correct term. Listening to the opening nine minute long groove of 'Outer Bongolia' certainly doesn't bring to mind anything loose at all. This is back to their classic 'Emperor Tomato Ketchup' record in terms of krautrock groove. With added trumpet for good measure! It's a thrilling way to open, purely instrumental but so very well done you don't miss the lack of vocals. 'Intervals' opens with soft electronic percussion and Laetitia Sadiers voice sounds up close and clear. This soft and mellow introduction switches to Beach Boys styled melodies and drum rhythms. A big smile for the middle sequence to this song. It sounds exotic in the best Stereolab tradition. Another section two-thirds of the way through the track has Laetitia cooing 'do de do wah', repeat to close. 'Barock-Plastik' is more groove and rhythm, guitar is introduced, the lyrics and vocals slightly buried beneath the instrumentation and employed as another instrument themselves. The pace of the track brings to mind much earlier Stereolab material and contrasts nicely with the ethereal pop of 'Intervals'. 'Nomus Et Phusis' is electronic exotica, French lyrics, lots of delightful noises and weird effects integrated into an art pop song. The type of switch to a different tempo and almost different song altogether that characterised 'Dots And Loops' appears mid-way through to work in some of the vocal harmonies of Laetitia Sadier and Mary Hansen. And, it's a fine thing.

'I Feel The Air ( Of Another Planet )' tops eight minutes and was held back from the 'Dots And Loops' record. It's of a similar quality and could have easily sat within that albums running order. A keyboard melody backs up high processed vocal harmony parts, just 'ba, ba, ba' floating above the song as Laetitia starts to sing. There's lots of beautiful detail in the playing, no obvious melodic hook to grab you in, just this wonderful sound. The instrumental track drops out a little in the middle section. The high vocal parts carry on to lead into the final section  - vocals sounding like they were beamed from a French re-make of 'The Sound Of Music' two hundred years hence. Violins, Brian Wilson esque bass. A switch away from the musical type vocals into a beautiful close over electronic water effects. It's not a perfect song, it does lack quite enough melody through the opening minutes to hold your attention to reach the closing sequence, but I recommend that you do. There really are many beautiful instrumental parts all through the song. 'Household Names' is a more straight-forward piece of Stereolab pop, 'Retrograde Mirror Forms' opening with the distinctive and beautifully thrilling sound of Laetitia and Mary in harmony before descending  too much into sonic textures and experimentation. There are still beautiful moments in this closing 'Retrograde Mirror Forms' but it doesn't classify as essential Stereolab. The album probably doesn't either. Well, it does qualify as an extremely entertaining diversion from their albums proper. It reprises past Stereolab styles very well and is like a little present to the groups fans. So whilst this is unlikely to convert anybody new to the Stereolab cause, it's still a fine enjoyable record of the quality we would expect from the group.

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Some fans were looking for an obvious leap forwards with this record, something startling akin to the first time they heard 'French Disko' or 'Dots And Loops'. We do get an evolution/new direction, of sorts. The opening track is two minutes of electronic noise and percussion. That's it. To further make matters more uncomfortable the following song opens with a lengthy instrumental sequence that's very bare before the song proper begins. This means you get four minutes of nothing interesting whatsoever to open the record. Which is very frustrating. Once 'Spacemoth' has begun, it builds in tempo with additional layers of instrumentation as it goes along. It's over seven minutes long and not very interesting for the main part, but you still keep listening. There is a big fantastic reason to keep listening! Around the five minute mark the track truly gets into gear with a fantastic shuffling rhythm, brass sections and 'do de do' vocals in the best Stereolab style. Mary Hansens voice is added to Laetitias, the rhythm gets all groovy, the percussion is added attention to detail. Everything becomes perfect, grin inducing, and finally we have something here.

'Captain Easychord' upon single release made for a perfect two and half minutes. Dreamy pop music with a bizarre out of place ( in the best way ) country feel in the chorus parts. The album version is twice as long and seemingly has a different song altogether stuck onto the end of the original. Thankfully it's a pretty decent song they've added on. Classic Stereolab lyrics ( 'there are two sides to one same thing, there are two sides....' ) and lots of melody to savour. 'Baby Lulu' is a classic all time Stereolab song. Utterly beautiful vocal introduction, harmonies, trumpet, tinkling percussion - to lead into a Stereolab pop groove. The vocals truly are beautiful all throughout 'Baby Lulu', the melody delightfully soft and dreamy. 'The Black Arts' continues from the mood set by 'Baby Lulu' very well before an uncomfortable transition into a section backed by stomping electric Piano. It flows back into the style set by the songs introduction and you wonder why they stuck this incongruous part in the middle of an otherwise perfectly fine song. It's repeated to close, too. It just sounds like they've taken half of each from two songs, and bashed them together. The parts don't fit too well. 'Hallucinex' is back to dreamy pop music, more straightforward than 'The Black Arts' certainly. 'Double Rocker' is back to the electronic experimentation shown by the very start of the album. We do gets vocals here, and the musical track is atmospheric and well done. 'Gus The Mynah Bird' opens with a patented beautiful Stereolab intro, moves onto a section with effective and beautiful guitar - hazy brass parts acting as percussion more than anything. The vocals through this song in particular are very strong. It's a beautiful performance and a highlight of the album. 'Naught More Terrific Than Man' is equally as beautiful, and it becomes clear - the more straightforward songs on this record are the one's that work best. The added electronic elements are sometimes integrated well, other times less so. It feels like a transitional work on the way to something greater rather than an accomplished move into a truly new direction. There are still plenty of trademark Stereolab moments to enjoy however.

'Nothing To Do With Me' is a relatively straightforward song and the harmony parts work well. The closing two songs make for a total of thirteen minutes of music. 'Suggestion Diabolique' is back to electronic experimentation. I should make clear at this point, this isn't techno or dance experimentation! All the songs fit if classified as art pop. The closing 'Les Bons Bons Des Raisons' restores some beauty following the clumsy sounding 'Suggestion Diabolique'. What sounds like a harpsichord makes for a beautiful bed to lay Laetitia and Marys vocals over the top of. Again, a relaxed mellow sounding song in keeping with several others here. Coming to some sort of conclusion about this record is pretty hard though. It just doesn't seem to actually amount to anything, although there are certainly enough highlights and highpoints to ensure a nicely enjoyable listen.

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Readers Comments Martin Gray bustercolumbus@ukonline.co.uk What is most paradoxical about Stereolab as regards this album in particular is that the sheer intricacy of the production doesn't detract from the much lighter and spacier sound of the album as a whole... it's so crammed with little sonic textures and details (as befits its title in a way) that reveal themselves on subsequent listens....and yet remains such a ravishingly joyful listening experience from start to finish. By the same reasoning it's curious how an album like "Transient" which is actually very analogue-based can be so simply produced yet sound so heavy and claustrophobic as a result. Like I said - it's a beautiful paradox - which is what all the very best Stereolab music should always be! Sparkletron wmyers@cloud9.net I own all the Stereolab albums, and I don't need iTunes to remind me that Sound Dust gets the most play. I don't disagree with Adrian's critique--merely his rating vis-a-vis other Stereolab efforts. Sound Dust does indeed start off slowly with its haunted house melodies. But in doing so it creates a mood and atmosphere that sets the tone for things to come. Suggestions Diabolique, far from being "clumsy", is one of the most complex songs I've ever heard. Overall this is an album I listen to as an album, and not track by track.

I miss Mary Hansen so much. Of course, her vocals were a vital part of the overall sound. The live performances will be noticeably different and she'll be dearly missed. Without getting into spiritual matters, wherever she is, I hope she's smiling. Anyway, yeah. This is an EP - there is meant to be a new album out next year. I'm glad they released an EP first. My first exposure to this was to notice what was missing, Mary. I'm sorry about that, but it was purely an emotional reaction. Once i'd got over that and gotten myself into the fact Stereolab sound really cool here, everything was fine. More than fine, I mean, the first song is gorgeous, Laetitia ( i always worry i've got her name wrong! ) does backing as well as lead. The guitars come back, those Stereolab guitars not heard since, well, 'Mars Audiac Quintet' probably. Something taken away, so sadly. Something returned. It doesn't make up for the loss, but the music here does sound wonderful. Yeah, i'll have trouble writing this review.

Oh, I adore the second song, 'Jaunty Monty And The Bubble Of Silence'. This is wonderful Stereolab, the kind that makes you smile and want to listen to nothing but them. Brilliant stuff. 'Good Is Me' is mellow, beautiful, very beautiful. Rewards repeated listenings, it gets under your skin. Ah, the whole EP is excellent, emotional. This emotional aspect will be very clear in the minds of long-term Stereolab fans. But, they are carrying on. They've made a wonderful new EP containing five good new songs. We don't need anymore. Miracles don't happen. Mary is missed, I miss her. Stereolab are still here and her spirit is still present within the music.

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Stereolab do a tribute to Mary with 'Feel And Triple'. The lyrics are certainly heart-felt, the lines 'memory of a friend' and 'goodbye mary' repeated over and over. The track picks up pace, though. The lyrics are about Mary, clearly - the music is prime stereolab and the vocals prime stereolab, laetitia singing over herself. For the album as a whole, Tim Gane seems to have thrown himself into his work, eg, the groups music. This album contains lush, brilliant music. Laetitia seems a little down, struggling through emotionally. That's just the feeling I get, two people coping with a tragic event in two different ways. Anyway, down to details. This is a natural sounding record, without the overproduction of certain albums immediately previous to it. It's a consistent album and also a throwback to the sound of Stereolab circa 'Mars Audiac Quintet', almost. Actually, if this album had followed, say, 'Dots And Loops', everybody would have been quite happy. No bad songs! No instant Stereolab classics, perhaps, but repeated listening reaps rewards. Let's take the closing song, 'Dear Marge'. An acoustic guitar, a sweet vocal. In comes the electronics - both happy and beautiful and reflective. The title song itself is very 'Mars Audiac Quintet and will bring a smile to many a Stereolab fan.

I'll talk about the songs, because otherwise, i'll get thinking about loss, and i'll get sad, you know? So, 'The Man With 100 Cells' is both deliciously titled and also delicious, relaxing and pretty. 'La Demeure' is an upbeat, almost disco track. Well, Laetitia sings over the top in the way that she does, the song stops and starts and twists throughout - back to 'Dots And Loops' territory. Happily so. The opening song is a tour-de-force, a brilliant stereolab moment. I said no classics here? Well, correction! I said no instant classics, but since when were Stereolab ever 'instant'? At one point, they were my entire musical life. When they're on form, as they most definitely are throughout 'Margerine Eclipse', there is little else to touch them. So, be happy they are around. The electronic sounds through the album, by the way. Stereolab are hinting at a future direction. I can't explain it, since it also throws back to past Stereolab, but there's something here that's moved on, musically. They sound assured and confident of what they can do. A track like 'Cosmic Country Noir' is just beautiful, so perfectly executed. I kind of get the feeling they are being more themselves than the previous few albums. I don't know, but perhaps, just revealing more of themselves. A good, grand thing.

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Stereolab need to grow. Ah, they remain one of my favourite bands and it's a nice idea putting together all the songs from recent, limited edition singles. I feel this was the plan all along, try to ensure a strong album as a result. The result? It's a good album, certainly, yet I yearn for Stereolab to surprise me. Some 16 years down the line, I realise I may be expecting a lot from them, but few moments on this LP make me go 'wow'. Stereolab have lost their 'wow' factor? Well, for the record, 'Fab Four Suture' is hinting at a return to an earlier Stereolab sound. A stereolab where you can hear the guitars. 'Excusions...' contains a glorious instrumental sequence, all farisa and guitars and wonderfully executed. 'Visionary Road Maps' ventures into 'Mars Audiac Quintet' territory, 'Interlock' almost ventures back to the excellent 'Dots And Loops'. Stereolab are perhaps in a stage of consolidation following the departure of Mary Hansen. Strangely for an album collected from singles and EPs, 'Fab Four Suture' sounds superbly cohesive. Musically, they sound more assured than they have in quite a while, yet I don't hear them delving into any new areas. Of course, Stereolab are known for 'always different, always the same', yet the songs, the ideas, the beating heart of this record could have come from any time in the groups past, 1995 onwards. I'm being fussy, but I want more than this. It causes 'Fab Four Suture' to be that rare thing, a Stereolab album that isn't at all essential to own.

With favourite bands, many of us go the 'High Fidelity' route and insist on updating our own personal 'best of' compilations to copy to cassette ( as it used to be ) or burn to CD. I'll put a couple of tracks from this collection on there, but they won't be highlights of my Stereolab 'best of' CD, they'll be there so each album can be represented. That kind of inclusion, you know? 'Whisper Pitch' for example, it delves right back into the groups past sound, it flies along with energy and has a forward moving groove. It doesn't sound like many of the tracks here do, like it's going round in ever decreasing circles. Still, three or four tunes I've mentioned in this review do rank alongside 'better' stereolab material. Of the remainder, a good sound is created yet not much of a lasting impression that stays with you.

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