15 STEREOLAB Switched On

With the band still on “indefinite hiatus”, Stereolab’s unique combination of French-accented indie-pop, Farfisa drones and verbose Marxism feels more

precious than ever. It is a view reinforced by the first batch of

reissues this year – Switched On, Refried Ectoplasm (Switched On Volume 2) and Aluminum Tunes

(Switched On Volume 3) – odds-andsods comps that fans have long regarded as worthy rivals to regular albums. Conveniently, these are also now being reissued, with Peng! and The Groop Played ‘Space Age Batchelor Pad Music’ the first to drop.