Stereolab - Electrically Possessed [Switched On Vol. 4] (2021, Duophonic)

Stereolab - Electrically Possessed Switched On Vol. 4 (2021, Duophonic) art pop / indietronica / progressive pop / space age pop 'In many ways, delving into Electrically Possessed is akin to experiencing The Wizard of Oz for the first time. Initially, the aural stimulation is overwhelming, much like the shock of yellow bricks set to guide the audience through the fantastical world. Their sound is awash with technicolour and special effects. The trance-like looped melody of ‘I Feel The Air {Of Another Planet}’ is our ticket to the surrealist surroundings populated with exaggerated feel-good numbers ‘Variation One’ and ‘Outer Bongolia’ and sparse Krautrock instrumentals (‘Pandora’s Box of Worms’); both moods providing perfect portals of escapism. The further we venture into Electrically Possessed the more unpredictable the trajectory of the album becomes. The latter half of the album maintains their trademark high-energy instrumentation and eruptions of sound, however, a total shift in tone presents the undeniable highlight of the compilation. ‘Calimero’, a woozy Serge Gainsbourg-style arrangement amplified by the Oz-like commanding presence of art-folk chanteuse Brigitte Fontaine is one that lingers in your ear long after you listen to it. Originally released in 1999, the depth of Fontaine’s almost menacing cadence is complimented by a smooth array of languid drum-fill and sparks of brass creating the illusion that it was kept in a time-capsule from the 1960s...' (Zara Hedderman, The Quietus) #fckem_artpop #fckem_compilation #fckem_exp #fckem_pop #fckem_indie