Stereolab at Koko

Plugging songs from new album Chemical Chords, Stereolab’s final UK tour date took place at Camden’s Koko last weekend.

Having never been to a Stereolab gig before I wasn’t sure what to expect. Over the years I have listened to their electro-tinged lounge-pop songs, the Marxist lyrics, I had read about their loyal fan base, and of the accidental death of one of the band members. I’d heard much about their uniqueness, consistency, and the fact that they’ve been going strong since 1990, a remarkable feat, possibly due to the fact that in spite of their ‘cult’ following, they have never really made it into the mainstream. I was therefore eagerly anticipating the band's onstage appearance, whilst all around me I heard people uttering things like “they’re amazing”, and “my favourite band”.

The band breezed onto the stage at 8.45 on the dot, with lead singer Laetitia Sadler displaying the utmost Gallic charm from the moment she picked up the microphone. As they launched into songs from their latest album Chemical Chords (their 10th studio album) Sadler’s vocals, though impressive became somewhat lost amongst the acoustics of the venue. Stereolab clearly like to crank things up at their concerts, and feedback from the guitars and drums was greatly overpowering, meaning I missed most of the words to the songs. Vocals (alongside a keen use of keyboards), are the essence of Stereolab, therefore it was disappointing, as I had been looking forward to witnessing Sadler’s lyrical abilities.

Recent songs were interspersed with old favourites to cheers from the audience. Hard to fit into any one category, despite being referred to as an ‘indie’ band Stereolab proved to be anything but tonight. The 60’s beats, loungey synth sounds, xylophones, Sadler’s dreamy voice and tinkering tambourine give the group their unique sound, not to mention Sadler’s heavy French accent which has garnered her comparisons to 70’s chanteuse Nico in the past.

Not ones for showmanship, the band members remained firmly in place throughout, Sadler’s charming banter providing the only interaction with the audience. Songs like ‘The Emergency Kisses’ and ‘Neon Beanbag’ were tackled with an almost mechanical precision, and the band delved into each song with hardly a gap in between as if to minimise any awkward silence.

The band’s encore was surely the highlight of the night, with a clever light show which added to the cinematic qualities of their final track. In all, s subdued affair, but from a very talented band.