::Stereolab - Margerine Eclipse::

Stereolab, a band whose most important period is considered to be the mid 90’s (circa Emperor Tomato Ketchup), has been remarkably consistent in their evolution. While some may find it difficult to see a difference from their debut Peng! to Margerine Eclipse, Stereolab have allowed their sound to naturally and interestingly evolve into more mature and orchestrated territories. Stereolab has almost totally given up the 2-chord pop songs of their earlier (but still great) material and have now begun experimenting with prog-type structures, but without all the D&D references and self-indulgent solos.

Superficially Stereolab’s sound remains the same spacey lounge-jazz it always has been. Their clearest reference points continue to be krautrock hall-of-famers Kraftwerk and Can. But this time around Stereolab willfully explores their love-hate relationship between disco/not-disco. On “La Demeure” we are greeted with their typical dry, driving beat and some ambient keyboards only to be sucked into a parallel universe where Chic and Parliament run a sexy cocktail bar with Air and Dimitri From Paris in attendance. “Need To Be”, on the other hand, follows a rainbow synthesizer line to the obvious reassessment of Stereolab’s mellow pop-songwriting chops complete with soaring chorus.

Margerine Eclipse is not an album that finds Stereolab attempting to conquer any new territory. Rather, Stereolab proves that persisting down the same path can yield some tasty new fruits.