Serene Velocity

Product Description:

Released by the Rhino label in 2006, the beautifully titled and intuitively assembled SERENE VELOCITY is the first Stereolab anthology to explore the remarkably wide range of the revered post-rock group's Elektra albums. Proceeding from the dreamy drone of "Jenny Ondioline" (1993) to the funky, hip-hop-influenced "Metronomic Underground" ('96) to the shimmering experimental-pop confection "Sudden Stars" ('04), the 16-track collection boldly attempts to capture the essence of the British/French ensemble in the space of one disc, and largely succeeds. Stereolab's collective affinity for Krautrock, cinematic scores, and 1960s pop are all on display here, as deftly channeled through the coolly detached lead vocals of Laetitia Sadier, the dynamic guitar/keyboard lines of Tim Gane, and the precise work of the band's formidable rhythm section. Although the slightly earlier OSCILLONS FROM THE ANTI-SUN compilation covers some of this set's territory, VELOCITY's tight focus and chronological sequence are what make it stand out as the definitive introduction to Stereolab.