Stereolab Refried Ectoplasm, Switched On Vol. 2 CD

REFRIED ECTOPLASM is a compilation of rare tracks, most of which were originally released on 7-inch vinyl between July 1992 and March 1994, and two previously unreleased tracks.
Stereolab: Laetitia Sadier, Mary Hansen (vocals); Tim Gane (guitar, Farfisa organ, Moog synthesizer); Katherine Gifford, Sean O'Hagan (organ); Mick Conroy (Farfisa organ); Duncan Brown, Martin Kean (bass); Joe Dilworth, Andy Ramsey (drums).
Additional personnel: Nurse With Wound.
Engineers include: Robbs, Steve Mack, The Groop.
Personnel: Laetitia Sadier, Mary Hansen (vocals); Tim Gane (guitar, Farfisa, Moog synthesizer); Katharine Gifford, Sean O'Nagan, Catherine Gifford, Sean O'Hagan (organ); Mick Conroy (Farfisa); Andy Ramsay, Joe Dilworth (drums).
Audio Mixers: The Robbs; Paul Tipler; Stereolab; Steve Stapleton.
Refried Ectoplasm: Switched On, Vol. 2 collects 13 singles and rarities Stereolab released between 1992 and 1995, and it is far more than a mere oddities collection. More than any other album, Refried Ectoplasm charts Stereolab's astonishing musical growth between those three years, and offers several definitive songs -- including "Lo Boob Oscillator," "French Disko," and "John Cage Bubblegum" -- not available on any album. While such items are essential for collectors, the quality and accessibility of the music is very strong, showcasing Stereolab's complexity and providing an excellent introduction to the group. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stereolab's REFRIED ECTOPLASM is a collection of limited-edition vinyl singles the band has been releasing on its own Duophonic Super 45s label, as well as other hard-to-find doo-dads from throughout its lifespan. It's like a career overview without all the stuff you've heard before. As such, it defines Stereolab's musical aesthetic as well as any of their other "albums": driving, electric-organ-drenched, VU-propelled space-pop whose wide-eyed beauty is balanced by its sheer simplicity and by Laetitia Sadier's minimalist vocal delivery (often in a foreign tongue).
Mostly, Stereolab's is a thick, airborne drone, but one that is all-encompassing enough to sound pretty on some occasions and difficult on others. On the one hand there are the actively odd studio sounds, and wide-ranging Beach Boys-like harmonies that bring their pop virtues to the fore ("Lo Boob Oscillator"); on the other hand, there are abrasive, rhythmic journeys with sonic pranksters Nurse With Wound, which tune into the 'lab's experimental impulses ("Animal Or Vegetable"). The best tunes, like the proletariat-minded "Exploding Head Movie," do both.Alternative Press (2/96, p.83) - "...for Stereolab fans of any stripe, there's something on this compilation that's never been heard....SWITCHED ON VOLUME TWO stands as a pretty fine introduction to one of the most fascinating groups of the last few years."
Melody Maker (9/9/95, p.35) - Recommended - "...it's the best Stereolab album yet....`Revox'...remind[s]...you that what moves you about Stereolab ain't solely the repetition; it's the feeling of airborne movement when that chord does change, that drone does shift..."
NME (Magazine) (12/23-30/95, p.23) - Ranked #8 on NME's `Compilations Of the Year' list for 1995.
NME (Magazine) (9/9/95, p.47) - 7 (out of 10) - "...rewarding, although often dry. This is music for distilling and refracting to, for plotting graphs, doing calculus and tiling laboratories to..."