Stereolab is an English and French band formed in London in 1990 by Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, blending motorik krautrock, 1960s French pop, and lounge into something entirely their own. Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996) and Dots and Loops (1997) are the classic entry points into a deep, endlessly rewarding catalog. Dig into Stereolab vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Stereolab formed in London, England in 1990 around Tim Gane (born July 12, 1964, England) and Lætitia Sadier (born May 6, 1968, Vincennes, France). Gane and Sadier had previously been in the Mclusky-precursor band McCarthy. They are widely cited as one of the most important contemporary art rock and post-rock bands. Their distinctive blend of motorik krautrock rhythms (Neu! / Can / Faust reference points), 1960s French ye-ye pop, lounge music, and integration of socialist political content has been defining. They launched their own Duophonic UHF Disks label in 1991. They had 1990s and 2000s output across Too Pure, Elektra, and Warp Records. Mary Hansen - a member from 1992 - died in a cycling accident on December 9, 2002 at age 36, with impact on the band's creative direction. They went on hiatus in 2009 and reformed in 2019 for touring activity. Gane and Sadier have a daughter together. Their foundational influence on contemporary art rock, post-rock, and broader independent music is widely cited.
Stereolab's sound combines art rock, post-rock, indie pop, krautrock, electronic, indietronica, lounge, space age pop, and French pop with multi-vocalist arrangements (Sadier and Hansen lead and harmony vocals, Sadier French-language and English-language phrasing), virtuosic compositional approaches (use of motorik rhythms, vintage analog synthesizers, and integration of multiple musical traditions), and lyrical content addressing Marxist political philosophy, situationism, and broader contemporary leftist political themes.
Too Pure, Duophonic UHF Disks, Elektra, Warp, and Beggars Banquet pressings of the Stereolab catalog are foundational items in contemporary art rock and post-rock collecting.
Listeners new to Stereolab typically start with Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996) or Dots and Loops (1997).
