Elektra / Ada
2003
Instant 0 In The Universe
About This Album
The 2000s have not been especially kind to Stereolab. Their first album of the decade, 2001's Sound-Dust, marked a slight return to form but was still overrun by the indulgence that made their post-Dots and Loops material something of a chore to hear. And while 2002's ABC Music: The Radio 1 Sessions was a great collection of live performances from their heyday, it inadvertently ended up highlighting how much passion and innovation had dissipated out of the band's music since the mid-'90s. Worst of all, of course, was the tragic death of longtime member and friend Mary Hansen in late 2002. With the loss of Hansen, the stagnancy surrounding their music, and the proliferation of Stereolab side projects -- including Laetitia Sadier's Monade and Simon Johns' Imitation Electric Piano -- it wouldn't have been surprising if the group decided to throw in the towel. Instant 0 in the Universe, however, is an attempt to shore up against these difficulties, and while it's not as vital as the EPs with which Stereolab made its name in the early '90s, it does sound more engaged than the band's late-'90s work. Most immediately noticeable is the EP's back-to-basics sound and feel.
Track List (try track 3)

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