Stereolab are a UK-based band whose style, mixing 1950s–1960s pop and loung… Read Full Bio ↴Stereolab are a UK-based band whose style, mixing 1950s–1960s pop and lounge music with the “motorik” beat of krautrock, was one of the first to which the term “post-rock” was applied. People frequently refer to their style as being "avant-pop." They are noted for the use of vintage keyboard instruments like Moog synthesizers and Vox and Farfisa organs. Stereolab is also notable for founding their own record label, Duophonic Records, with a grant from UK charity The Prince’s Trust. The band is often referred to as “The Groop” by their fans (and in the title of their song “The Groop Play Chord X” on the album Space Age Batchelor Pad Music).

They were founded in 1990 by songwriters Tim Gane (guitar, keyboards), formerly of the band McCarthy, and Laetitia Sadier (sometimes credited as Seaya Sadier; vocals, keyboards, trombone, guitar), who is from France and sings in both English and French.

Over the years, Gane and Sadier have enlisted a large number of other musicians to accompany them on stage and on record. The initial line-up featured Martin Kean, formerly of The Chills, on bass, and Joe Dilworth (from their Too Pure label-mates Th’ Faith Healers) on drums, with Russell Yates (of Moose) and Mick Conroy (ex-Modern English) also appearing at early live shows. In 1993 they recruited Andy Ramsay (drums), who has remained in the group line-up ever since, and Mary Hansen (vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion). Hansen’s distinctive backing vocals became an important aspect of the Stereolab sound, and she remained a regular feature of the line-up until her death in a cycling accident on December 9, 2002. Multi-instrumentalist Sean O’Hagan of The High Llamas has also been a frequent contributor, particularly with string, brass and keyboard arrangements to the band’s studio albums. John McEntire (Tortoise) has also contributed keyboard, electronic effects and studio help over the years. Other members have come and (in some cases) gone over the years, including Duncan Brown, Dave Pajo (from Tortoise), Richard Harrison and Simon Johns (all bass); Gina Morris (vocals); and Katharine Gifford and Morgane Lhote (both on keyboards).

Early Stereolab material displayed a heavy influence of krautrock sounds, particularly Neu! and Faust, characteristically relying on droning, repetitive guitar or keyboard riffs, with or without vocals. Early heavy use of distorted Farfisa combo-organ sounds were also reminiscent of early recordings by The Modern Lovers. As the band developed, they incorporated new instrumentation, and an increasingly complex sense of rhythm and structure, frequently making use of irregular time signatures as well as unorthodox chord progressions and melodic intervals. The band has often made copious use of female backing vocal lines.

Lyrically, Stereolab’s music is quirky (song titles evoke memories of 1950s science fiction stories, and are often borrowed directly from old films and records of the period, but have nothing to do with the song’s content), but highly politically and philosophically charged, sometimes with a decidedly Surrealist or Situationist bent. (Sadier notes the libertarian Marxist theoretician Cornelius Castoriadis as a particular inspiration.) Sadier’s lyrics, in both French and English, often read like highly condensed sociological texts, standing in deliberate and distinct counterpoint to the lush hedonic pop sound of the band. A prime example would be “Ping Pong” from Mars Audiac Quintet, which is an explicit restating of Marxist theory concerning the relationship between economic cycles and war cycles.
Stereolab earned a minor place in the Britpop movement, with their sound proving influential to bands like Blur: occasional keyboard-driven b-sides and singer Damon Albarn’s love of retro keyboards showed the influence, and in recognition Laetitia Sadier was invited to provide vocals on “To The End” from Parklife.

Despite the band’s fan base and critical acclaim, Stereolab has not achieved high levels of financial or popular success. On June 7, 2004, suits at the Warner Music label (to whom the band was signed in the U.S.) announced they were dropping Stereolab in response to the poor sales (40,000 to that date) of Margerine Eclipse. This was part of an ongoing effort by Warner to cut costs; The Breeders and Third Eye Blind were also dropped from the label for this reason. Laetitia Sadier is now also a member of Monade, which is essentially expressive of her own singular musical goals.

Elektro
Stereolab Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Isolation I suffer
We've been told horrible lies
We've been betrayed, exploited and repressed,
Manipulated
Well kept in isolation
Afronted danger

This whole world can appear too well, don't you think

More and more people have been kept into misery
How much more people have to take it before they react

We're left to wallow in our shit
If you rebel you're shot

Overall Meaning

In the song "Elektro", Stereolab addresses the theme of isolation and the feeling of being manipulated and betrayed by those in power. The opening line "Isolation I suffer" highlights the loneliness that many people experience due to societal structures that promote individualism and detachment from others. The subsequent lines, "We've been told horrible lies, we've been betrayed, exploited and repressed, manipulated," suggest that there is a larger force at work that is purposely keeping people in isolation in order to maintain control and power over them.

The lyrics also speak to the prevalence of poverty and inequality in the world, stating that "More and more people have been kept in misery" and asking how much more suffering people can endure before they are forced to react. The line "We're left to wallow in our shit" is a bleak reference to the idea that people are often complicit in their own suffering because they feel powerless to change their circumstances.

The final line, "If you rebel you're shot," reveals the sinister power dynamic at play, where those who resist or speak out against the powers that be are punished and silenced. Overall, the song is a commentary on the ways in which those in positions of power use isolation and manipulation to maintain control, leaving many people feeling helpless and trapped within oppressive systems.

Line by Line Meaning

Isolation I suffer
I am alone and separated from others, experiencing loneliness and disconnection.

We've been told horrible lies
We have been given false information that is harmful and misleading.

We've been betrayed, exploited and repressed,
We have been deceived, taken advantage of, and oppressed by those in power.

Manipulated
We have been influenced and controlled in a deceptive and unfair manner.

Well kept in isolation
We have been intentionally and systematically kept apart from others, denied human interaction and community.

Afronted danger
We face real and imminent threats that endanger our safety and well-being.

This whole world can appear too well, don't you think
The world may seem fine on the surface, but there are deeper problems and issues that need to be addressed.

More and more people have been kept into misery
A growing number of people are experiencing suffering and hardship.

How much more people have to take it before they react
People can only tolerate so much before they will demand change and take action.

We're left to wallow in our shit
We are left to suffer in our own problems and difficulties without adequate support or solutions.

If you rebel you're shot
Those who stand up against oppressive systems and structures are met with violence and punishment.

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