ALBUM REVIEW: Stereolab - Instant Holograms on Metal Film
New Stereolab sounds remarkably like... old Stereolab.
The return of a hallowed musical act after a prolonged absence is often a double-edged sword. On one hand, fans will no doubt eat up whatever the artist puts out, but often the new material pales in comparison to what came before. Not everyone has a Songs of a Lost World in them. But Stereolab’s return after a 15-year hiatus is more on the side of The Cure’s comeback record than not. That long gap in between releases allowed Stereolab to hone in on their best elements, and much of Instant Holograms on Metal Film is as fluid as you’d want an avant-pop album to be. There’s not too much new ground covered here, which can be tiring over nearly an hour of new material, but for the most part I didn’t mind.
Your enjoyment of Instant Holograms on Metal Film will depend on how much you like the sound of its first full song. “Aerial Troubles” opens with an incredible sense of drama before diving headfirst into a deliciously groovy melody. The way the guitars curve and the synths wobble give the track an insatiable sense of life; Lætitia Sadier’s airy coo wraps the whole experience together wonderfully. It’s as if the group’s 90’s heyday never ended. And if you’re down for more of that, than Stereolab have you covered. The rest of the album is more or less a carbon copy of “Aerial Troubles”; the differences are so slight, if you aren’t paying attention, you’d think your listening to the same song over and over. It’s not a bad thing if you’re ready for some smooth listening, but I have a hard time telling deep cuts like “Esemplastic Creeping Eruption” and “Colour Television” apart.
It’s the little things that Stereolab add to this tried and true formula that make this return worth your while. “Melodie is a Wound” fills its runtime well, utilizing an extended outro to slowly bring different sounds and instruments in and out as the melody percolates. It’s as rambunctious as the album gets. “Electrified Teenybop!” blasts you with a bubbly synth line and never lets it go. The coming synths bounce from ear to ear while the rhythm balances between bustling and calming. “If You Remember I Forgot How To Dream Pt. 1” finds focus in a strong bass line, a refreshing change from the usual indie/electronica mix, along with some jaunty horns to boot. And for the record, the entire album sounds good. I can’t harp on anything technical about the record, only that most everything runs together. It’s almost like the band’s immense skill at their craft works against them when there’s so many similar-sounding tracks.
There’s little that Instant Holograms on Metal Film adds to Stereolab’s legacy, but they don’t seem to mind. They’re locked in a certain gear here, one they know well and seem impossible at screwing up. It ultimately lands somewhere in the middle of the vast pantheon of comeback records, not to the level of a We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service… but not as unnecessary as The Endless River. If Stereolab is here to stay, though, maybe their next album will truly show us the fruits of their long absence in a way this album doesn’t.
Verdict: 7.0/10
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