Aluminum Tunes [Switched On Volume 3] cover

Aluminum Tunes [Switched On Volume 3]

Released

The third entry in Stereolab’s Switched On compilation series, the double-disc Aluminum Tunes compiles material recorded between 1995 and 1997, during which time they also released two full-lengths, Dots & Loops and Emperor Tomato Ketchup, and three EPs. It’s wild to think just how much music they produced over those three years; Stereolab were so profligately creative they could throw away miniature masterpieces, like “Seeperbold” or “The Incredible He Woman,” on compilations and split singles. Aluminum Tunes might be the best way to get a sense of the sheer breadth of what Stereolab were doing in the mid-nineties, where tropicalia, jazz, electronica, library music, Krautrock, Kosmische, sixties pop, and more were all getting jumbled up in the mix. It’s frequently surprising just how much ground they covered.

Jon Dale

Recommended by

Suggestions
Still Smiling cover

Still Smiling

Blixa Bargeld, Teho Teardo
Slow Summits cover

Slow Summits

The Pastels
The Real Ramona cover

The Real Ramona

Throwing Muses
Bear in Town cover

Bear in Town

Spirit Fest
Alles Wieder Offen cover

Alles Wieder Offen

Einstürzende Neubauten
Will cover

Will

Julianna Barwick
Cold and Bouncy cover

Cold and Bouncy

The High Llamas
Una linterna cover

Una linterna

Candelaria Zamar
Blues du Jour cover

Blues du Jour

Maher Shalal Hash Baz