Emperor Tomato Ketchup

I've listened to several random Stereolab songs over the years, but never a full album until today. They keep getting recommended to me and now I know why. I friggin' loved this.

The droning repetitive groove of this album, mixed with the magical vocals of Laetitia Sadier, makes for a very soothing listen. It’s like stepping into the hippest Parisian cafe on a June afternoon, sunglasses and smirks, cool cocktail in hand. There are also some very big sounds, walls of sound, that build up like the best cinematic imagery. Favorites include Olv 26 and Percolator. Overall hypnotic and mesmerizing.

I know one song by this band, and I love it. It turns out there is a reason I only know that one song. That said, there is something very comforting about the repetitive beats, whisper-soft voices, and the interplay between the French and English lyrics. It’s very nice background music, but not something to sit up and take notice.

Oye pues me ha molado mucho

Super fun listen. Not every song hits. But what an eclectic range of tunes.

To be completely honest, this is like the Terence Trent D’Arby album in that it’s just really enjoyable. I always thought Stereolab was an electronic band that people said was good but was really just fine, but this album is actually really unique rock. I especially liked songs like ‘Cybele’s Reverie’, ‘The Noise Of Carpet’, and the title track. This just felt refreshing compared to generic stuff I’ve been getting lately.

Besides two songs which had a few kinda cool parts - The Noise of Carpet and Emperor Tomato Ketchup - I just cannot get myself to care for this type of music in any. way. at. all.

Pleasant enough, but boring. By the time I was half way through I'd heard enough. Will try to finish it off later.

A very interesting new discovery for me. Really liked the overall happy mood of the album. An eclectic mix of sounds and loops. Didn’t reach for the skip button at any point. A high 3 star ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

Lo-fi, repetative and on occasion sung in French. What's not to like? I saw Stereolab 32 years ago in a pub on West Hampstead, it made me buy their first album, and the 2nd time was the first indoor gig after the pandemic - they were great both times. Laetitia Sadier and Tim Gane weave a hypnotic set of songs which you can lose yourself in. They have always been on the periphery of my musical tastes, but they are always a pleasure to listen to when the occasion arises. This is probably a high point in their career, Cybele's Reverie and Percolator are class, the rest are great. It gets a low 5.

I love the mix of French and English, and there are very unique, unusual, and eclectic sounds that worked. It's just not something that I would actively seek to listen to again.

I very much enjoyed this. It passed me by originally and I regret that now. It is lovely floaty indie pop and the french add a certain je ne sais quoi

Not for me

Interesting listen, not overly exciting to me though

Not for me

Nice chilled vibe.

Pass.

Kept my interest throughout

I used to listen to stereolab when I was in college, so this is nostalgia for me. You can definitely hear their influence on some modern bands.

A couple of decent grooves in there but very repetitive and protracted.

7.5/10

Wow these guys really suffered from the "too many bands with similar names" problem

It sounds quite simple when you first listen to it and then the layers appear. It's almost children's nursery rhymes updated for adults.

I really liked this album a lot. It combines intimate production with open, expansive sounds, samples and loops galore, terrific instrumentation, and a fantastic devotion to rhythm. The string and synth beds and organ sounds are fantastic, lush, and whimsical, but serious politics pervades the lyrics. What a fascinating album. Adding it to the library right alongside Zero 7 and some of those other early 2000 loopmeisters.

Oh, what a ride. What a wild, kaleidoscopic, pleasurable ride. What a rich, unique, bombastic contribution. I am not even sure what musical landscape it is contributing to. It is one that is full of colors, that is spacious and intimate at the same time. One that can unfold and reveal itself more over time. One I can dance and daydream and feel the melancholy of time. It is serious music that does not take itself seriously. Music is love, pleasure, feels, and play, and these people have managed to create something beautiful to bring me along. Definitely worth a 1001 listens.

Boring. I get it, but not for me.

Started rocky but I really liked the French tracks (trying to get more francophone). We made pizza while listening

An interesting listen but gets a bit repetitive after a while. My favourite of theirs though.

the beats are fye but i don’t understand the language

Wasn't super into this at first, but over the course of the album I actually started to dig it. I would probably rate this higher after more listens, but for now it's a solid 3.

Initially didn't think much of this but it grew on me by the end. Dunno why, but it kept reminding me of Deerhoof. 3.25/5

This was not what I expected but im kinda into it.

I really love this album. When I first came across Stereolab (on the High Fidelity soundtrack I think), I really hadn't heard anything like them before. They somehow managed to make weird, experimental, and noisy music that also sounds beautiful. After several years of owning this album, I still feel like I'm getting to know it. But it's very transporting, and I keep coming back to it.

The album was fun. I'd never heard of the band before. I'll listen to it again more closely. 4/5

Kind of cool.

I randomly picked up a Stereolab cd in the early 2000s and have been a fan ever since.

Bonico.

Loving this even more than I thought I would. Love the way their songs build up with layers. Deceptively complicated. There’s clear, sophisticated music education. Overall, this is really excellent.

This is twee in all the ways I love. Stereolab set out to make a thing, and by god, they made it. So much of this 1001 album project is subjective -- music *is* subjective -- so with that grain of salt, when I hear an album here for the first time, and I find it sonically compelling to the degree I want to add it to my collection so I can listen to it later, that's a star on its own.

Really dug the bass-driven melodies. The first and last tracks were the best - both gave me some Chili Peppers vibes. However, the middle just kinda drug along for me.

This one was a huge miss for me

Like most electronic music, I find this to be background music. Not terrible, but forgettable.

Electronic synth music in French and English, well done but boring and repetitive

Perfect album that I could listen for days on end - which I kind of did once I saw it on this list.

Good! Weird…

Before listening: I don't know who these people area and with a title like Emperor Tomato Ketchup, it makes me fear the worst. From the cover and the era I'm guessing electro pop. But I find it hard to believe that any 90s electro pop albums would make this list. After listening: Goddamit, I liked this! First song was a bit shaky but after that it was thoroughly enjoyable. You can't even really fit them into an era - I can easily see this album being released in the early 00s and even today. Surprises are good sometimes...

What a lovely surprise! I heard of Stereolab back in the day but somehow never listened to any of their stuff. Also I always thought she is called Laetitia Sadler, oops. This chilled me out. Quirky and right up my street

Not bad but totally overstated

Erg leuk, super divers album. Favoriete nummer(s): Percolator, Olv 26, The Noise of Carpet

Let me paint you a picture: I sit down at my desk to begin work for the day and put this album on. I got 10 seconds into the first song before I had to switch to some music I actually like, so that I could mentally prepare to what I was about to listen to. To be fair, the first song gave a bad first impression. The rest of the album wasn't TERRIBLE, but definitely bland. The random French was kinda cool though, I guess.

This album fluctuated between basic indie and elevator music. Could not get into it.

Interesting

I love this band. They can't do wrong for me. This is lovely (though I prefer the two previous albums) Its kitch and harmonic and French and Retro.

Loved this and listened to a ton of their music afterward

Ryan said that this was awesome and I thought it was fine

catchy and sophisticated unremitting bossa-pop from another plane of existence. not everyone would be too keen on the soundscapes that this band lays upon listeners but i am absolutely obsessed with them. if i saw them live i think i would die.

What a fun album.

I don’t get these albums. These artsy fartsy nonsense collection of songs? How is this better or on par to say Born in the USA or Abbey Road? I genuinely believe whoever decided to put this album in this list was high. There are some good moments on it, but they are literally fleeting moments. But then again what are we excepting from an album called Emperor Tomato Ketchup!

Eh not memorable not sure why it is in the 1000

I might rather listen to squirting bottles of ketchup.

Not sure what to think, so 2 stars

3.4

Stereolab created an avant-garde version of alt-rock and dance music. They focused their creative process on looping, and by the time they recorded Emperor Tomato Ketchup, they had perfected their sound, and their process. The rich, well-produced tracks on the album use rhythms that are inspired by (or, inspiring to...) hip-hop, with arrangements and transitions that suggest jazz influences. Add some haunting vocals, and the combination yields a textured, engaging sound with the nature of complicated dance music.

Ekki láta Ketchup nafnið blekkja ykkur, þetta er æðisleg plata. Fyndið hvernig maður þekkir Stereolab strax án þess að hafa endilega heyrt lögin áður. Þetta er æði, svaka töff tíundi tugur.

Not bad, but not exactly for me.

Not bad

6 / 10 Pop con buena instrumentación, partes en Ingles y partes en Francés. No molesta pero no aporta mucho.

Some decent songs, some bad ones. Didn't have a great flow to it, I won't be going back to this album.

This is probably one of my favorite rock-based records on the list so far. There are so many cool sounds and the mix between English and French is fun. I enjoy the experimental nature of the record.

The opening song was my least favorite on the record. I am surprised it is the most popular by such a large margin on Spotify, usually I like the same songs everyone else does. I found out that the a member of Tortoise (yesterday's band) produced the album. Quite a few of the other songs were bops, and I liked the vocals a lot. I've added a few songs to my liked songs playlist, and I'd be happy to hear them come on again. 7/10

I dunno about this

Interesting, quirky little songs. 3/5

✌️

Man blir ju bara irriterad, så dåligt är det. Lyssnade inte på allt. 1 / 5

I do love me a bit of Stereolab. Consciously retro and nostalgic for a time that never was (is it the mid-70s or late 60's perhaps?) Poppy and intense- their sound envelops you.

Didn’t like this at all. Not in a great mood so I’m giving a 2. I hardly ever give 2s.

Liked this one, interesting sound. Could be a little shorter.

Not for me -

hmm… - sounds interesting, but at the end it‘s not my favorite. Good try - 3 stars

Every bit as “artsy” and non-commercial as the album title would suggest. But after a fun start, it mostly became repetitive and unenjoyable.

It's long, French, repetitive and has a wide variety of beeps and boops.

it would be five stars but the songs were kinda repetitive

This was annoying.

5.5/10

beautiful and mesmerizing. probably a 4 on a lot of days, but Cybele's Reverie and Emperor Tomato Ketchup, among other tracks, just hit me perfectly tonight

3 - I was really hoping to like this. I was even expecting for it to get something close to a 5 because I like other music that is considered similar to Stereolab. But alas, it was not meant to be. It was much more repetitive than I expected. Every song sounded pretty similar to me. It wasn't bad, but there was only one song that I cared about. Oh well...

Silly

For the first time since I started this process I had a co-listener, namely my wife. I personally thought the album was very hit-and-miss - I enjoyed a couple of tracks, found a couple of tracks awful, and the rest were quite mundane. My wife's forthright review is "shit, the foxes fuckign outside our window made more pleasant noises". No longer wondering why I married her, are you?

Sounds like all the rest of the Stereolab material.

Another shameful gap in my musical knowledge and a rare "W" for the 1001 albums list, this is mesmerizing, hypnotic, gorgeous, futuristic, nostalgic, kinda high-brow artsy pop-rock, that remains incredibly accessible despite it's experimentation.

While it didn't absolutely blow me away, it did pique my interest. The style felt very indie, and very groovy. Favorites were Noice of Carpet and Tomorrow is Already Here

I found this one to be very interesting. Some good melodies and loops. Favorite songs were Cybele’s Reverie, Percolator, The Noise of Carpet, and the title track.

This was great. Something a bit different. I was all primed up for some easy to listen to Welsh pop rock but got this instead. Crazy 60's French vocals with repetitive rhythms and staccato beats. It's fun and it's interesting. Definitely not like anything else from the 90's that I've heard. Definitely worth a go. I can't imagine too many times that I'd want to put this on to listen to. If I was going out on my vespa to buy oranges in the middle of summer, in a small French village I'd reach for this every time.

3.5/5

The music is fine, albeit very, very repetitive at times. There are several tracks that are mostly one chord, which is always a risky move. I don't reckon that choice ever paid off (e.g. The Noise of Carpet, an otherwise fantastic rock track, is seriously marred by how harmonically monotone it is. Tomorrow Is Already Here suffers from the same issue). It's also bold to start off the album with the heavily looped electronic track Metronomic Underground - an 8-minute track that uses almost exclusively one repeated lyric - and expect the product to be likeable by wider audiences. That being said, some of the instrumental and (especially) vocal layering in tracks like Cybele's Reverie and Les Yper-Sound is super cool. The combination of synths and more old-school rock elements in songs like The Noise of Carpet is enjoyable. Additionally, I can respect the lack of electronic percussion in an album from the mid-90s.

so distinctive and many bangers but sometimes boring, too

This was a great mix of feeling like background music that is still engaging to listen to.

Happy chill upbeat music. Great backdrop for a chill workday, but not something I'm going to write home about.

Good to get a chance to listen to this

3-4 Precolator, Les Yper-Sound

fun album, its like francoise hardy and radiohead had a synthpop lovechild. 4/5

Pleasantly surprised how much I liked this, very catchy tunes! Bit overlong but still a 4/5

Ah, Stereolab - I *know* them. Having checked Wikipedia, it appears I don't know them at all. Can see why the indie hipsters would absolutely cream themselves over this - Anglo/French? check. Bloopy bleepy? check Passed by in the background nicely enough. Am I going to rush out to purchase it on vinyl and learn to be a barista? No.

It was an interesting album. Gave it two listens. Not sure it’s for me, but I found myself enjoying the laid back electronic loops. 3/5.

Really enjoyed this. It was quite an experimental sound in places but it was good enough to listen back to back ! High 3*, probably not quite a 4

Maybe a slightly harsh rating but it bounced off me completely.

Bonico.

nisam ovo mogla do kraja odslusat

meh

Very mixed on this one. It has some interesting ideas and a nice sound palette. However many of the tracks can get repetative or dull quite easily, maybe I'm not in the right mood for it? Maybe it's just not for me? But either way I don't feel like it's an essential album.

Maraviiiiiiiilla

Great instrumentals but the vocals ruin it for me. Not a fan of the french lyrics. Would love an instrumental version.

A really fun eclectic listen. Enjoyed!

A bit of an odd choice for the sole included Stereolab album (Not Dots & Loops? Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage In The Milky Night?) but really there is no bad choice! Great album, great band and great that they appear on this list

Nog jätteswag mycket svängigt

Way better than I anticipated. Still not my thing, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I think a big problem for me when a lot of these albums is that they just don’t leave an impact. And they’re supposed to be influential so that’s why i have a hard time with them. I just don’t see what this brought to music?

"....Ahhhhhhh...the French...." As a GenXer I shouldn't - but i do and did - dislike most of what passed as popular music in the 90s...snarky nihilistic attitude not just in lyrics but musical ability and talent. Ya know, it's ok to be good. ...ok it wasn't nearly all bad and this is a weird and notable exception - it's not like a lot of the others in structure or in sound. I'm not even sure if one can compress a description of it in a paragraph but it's melodic, modern, clear, and not necessarily rock, electronic, or pop. Lives a bit amongst all of it... Also I am realizing I do enjoy French pop music ("Air") and generally am annoyed by vocals...maybe it's English lyrics I don't like. I think I prefer when the singer is just one of the instruments at least in my brain mix. This isn't my favourite genre and I have gone back and forth a bit, but being a weekend album benefitted this as has happened in the past. Repeat listens reveal more layers. I also feel like it's probably an album I only will listen to solo. Not a bad thing - just different. Anyways ... ça me plaît. 7/10 4 stars

It was approaching summer 2015 and I was going to be moving out of the city into a different one. Walking around the neighborhood one many more times, I can recall having this as a soundtrack. I may have had other Stereolab that was heard since then but none of them scratch the itch that this does. A perfect blend of electronic space age kosmische from three countries and two continents, named after an obscure Japanese film. Bright, eccentric, all-encompassing; as futuristic as it is nostalgic. A crazy, sturdy torpedo.

not really my thing. Seemed very repetitive.

Kind of on the fence on this one. On the one hand, it wasn’t awful. On the other, I just didn’t like it.

Wel ok wel beetje raar

hysterisch

Not really sure what this was supposed to be but I do know it’s not for me. Pretty weird overall and I don’t speak French but that wouldn’t have made much of a difference. 1.4/10

The looping repetition won’t be for everyone, but for those who are attuned to Stereolab’s certain brand of jamming this is a home run. Featuring instrumentals that are perfectly evocative of the era without feeling dated, this LP gently winds and unspools in a logical fashion that’s pleasing while packing a few surprises. Maybe it’s the Wurlitzer, maybe it’s Lætitia Sadier‘s assured vocals, but Stereolab has always been a band which evokes a sense of comfort and safety not unlike coming home to family after a long day.

Apparently I listened to this whole album, and the only thing I remember about it is the first track. I'm not even drunk.

Metronomic Underground

Wow - those cheese eating surrender monkeys sure know how to use a synth! Jean-Michel Jarre, Air and now Stereolab throwing out some great electronic music. This was at times hypnotic - wild rhythms and fascinating keyboard lines. Musicianship is top notch - I have no idea what the songs are about even when sung in English but I don't really care. This is a whole lot of fun. C'est fantastique!!

One of the prog rock progenitors. Diverse if a bit rambly album.

I had to skip some song due to annoyance.

Not for me.

Pretty out there stuff!

I enjoyed this, although it's not something I'd listen to regularly. Very varied sound on this

Ég hlustaði á einhverja deluxe útgáfu og hún var ekki neitt voðalega deluxe. Í staðinn fyrir að tvöfalda lengdina hefði mátt stytta um helming. Alls ekki minn tebolli.

Actually a unique sounding record. Some tracks didn't exactly do it for me but nevertheless it was a good listen.

Blind album and artist. Definitely one of the more intriguing albums I have listened to, but in a sort of weird feeling way I say to myself "I feel like this could potentially sound cool...?"

Like a more boring air supply 2 stars.

I like how this album's sound. The creativity in it is lovely to see and boosts it up for me. There are too many boring albums and this one made me interested. The times it didn't I was encapsulated by the soundscape

Fun listen. I enjoyed the French lyrics and vibe of the album

very mid 5/10

really dug this, but the looping lyrics and repetitive beats sometimes irritated my brain - would be a regular listen for me if the songs were each about 1/4 shorter

Звучит любопытно, но для меня не очень "вкусно"

Great album, encompasses everything the 90s were about.

Didn’t really connect with any of the songs, but I appreciate having my palette challenged.

Oddly enough, it's good, but at the same time it sucks so much. Too fucking much french ugh. 1/5 for me, didn't feel anything of this repetitive avangardy/krautrock bullshit.

I liked this a lot. Great instrumentals, just got a little repetitive sometimes 4

Good background music for working.

Interesting to listen to but I'm just not a fan of their vocal stylings.

Just really not my thing. For techno geeks, maybe. It was just kind of boring and repetitive. I think that is what they were looking for but I just couldn’t enjoy listening to it. As an experimental, I can see its value. As an enjoyable listen, not so much

It was an interesting album. It was not terrible Not an album that I would listen to again.

10/10 experimental alternative rock is the best

This was a pleasant experience. I had never heard of them. It is quite a genre mix, a bit experimental, but I liked it. I will re-listen to this album and will check out other albums of Stereolab, too.

I didn't hate it but wouldn't put it on again. Bit low quality/vague and repetitive within songs. Song's weren't bad overall, but not great either.

I quite enjoyed this.

This album didn’t really click with me. I appreciate the songwriting and execution, but it’s just a medium that doesn’t resonate with me. Can’t give it a one star because, for its genre, it’s well done. It’s just not a genre I care for.

Took a minute to get used to, more of a vibe album than something I would actively listen to, still pretty good though. Low 3.

Trying way too hard to be zany and avant garde

Maybe even 4, need to listen more

Special Moth’s Mom’s Thoughts - “I didn’t like it” Was gonna give it a 6 but docking a point for that. - 5/10

Sounded unique, interesting production, enjoyed the vocals and the repetitive parts. I am not a fan of the album title inspiration though.

Emperor tomato ketchup.. what a goofy name. Did not enjoy the first song so I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the album. The electric techno vibe is not really my thing and I have too unrefined of an attention span for the amount of instrumentals/non singing bits present so don’t think I’d listen again… but I actually liked most of it, the French was fun I think I liked it better than the English parts 7/10 rounded down bc I don’t think I’d listen to any of the songs just cause

Pretty solid, I felt like it was entertaining every time I tuned in. Not just background music. A bit weird. 8/10

9/10 - I loved almost all of the songs. The worst one was sadly Emperor Tomato Ketchup. Cybele's Reverie was absolutely fantastic and gave toro y moi energy.

It was fine, got pretty boring 6/10

Oui oui baguette bonjour 8/10

Bit of a yawner. Chill out techno.

English-French vibey goodness. Merry Christmas.

Just okay, for me. Got a little more interesting as it went on, but I didn't enjoy my time with it.

Cool late 90's jazzy trip hop. 4/5

The French vocals didn't sit well to begin with, but I tuned them out and started to like the general vibe of this. Didn't sound like a 90s album particularly, maybe a little too sophisticated for my liking? Around the halfway mark I was starting to get a little bored, but then it picked up and got better and better until it rose to a weak 4 stars.

ok

2 average per track. Very hard to get through.

fr*nch also kind of annoying

Fun!

Not a fan of everything including the title and album art are "borrowed". They seem to take the uniqueness that other people have made, and put a small twist to take credit due to their bigger audience.

What if we just put a bunch of soundboard buttons onto an album and sang quietly in the background? Stereolab answers this question with disappointing certainty. Give me something I can sink my teeth into.

After two listens, even the tracks I first disliked seemed to grow on me. I've only ever listened to one French group before: Cortex. Like them, this album is perfect for listening to while at work. It's got great instrumentals, looped beats with jazzy and synth overlays, and (at times) beautiful French vocals -- none of which I can understand. Shame others didn't enjoy it. My one note after two listens? It should have ended with Slow Fast Hazel. Fav Tracks: Metronomic underground, Cybele's Reverie, Les Yper-Sound, Monstre Sacre, Slow Fast Hazel Least Fav Tracks: Anonymous Collective

Not my thing. Way too much synth. Best song: Anonymous Collective Worst song: the rest

Tepid. Not awful.

Experimental sounds, seamless album. Great vibes

Interesting. Francoanglaies. Cool songs harmonies keyboards builds kinda electronic, but still rock/indie. Bears further investigation

This is kind of a mix of indie rock and electronica, sung mostly in French. As background music it is fine, but this isn't something I would be in a rush to listen to again. It all just kind of ran together. No real stand out track to speak of. Not sure what this influenced or why this is on this list. Favourite songs: Metronomic Underground Least favourite songs: Percolator, Slow Fast Hazel 2/5

This is my thing, it's kinda electronic rock synthwave nonsense and it's my jam. Reminds me slightly of Massive Attack and Portishead but arguably even more unobtrusive. I can see me playing this again after a long day at work with the lights off and a tall glass of apple tango

I appreciate how it takes the Kraftwerk idea of semi-robotic music, and throws a little more pop into it. I think the vocals can be a little same-y throughout, but overall it's a pleasant-enough record to throw on in the background. Favorite tracks: "Motoroller Scalatron", "Cybele's Reverie"

I like it. This album will probably go into my rotation but I don't think it's groundbreaking or particularly influential. It reminds me of those Instagram guitar players that are clearly talented but lacking any real depth or interest once you can puzzle together the different techniques they've mashed together into a song. Going with a strong 3 but it could be a weak 4 instead.

English-French rock band. C'est bizarre. Y'a pire, mais y'a définitivement mieux.

pass

Boff

insufficiently saucy

I listened to the first 2 songs. I am going to send the rest of the songs to my husband cos he liked regurgitator and might get something more out of this. Some stars.

Too gimmicky, but this list had me listen to much worse

Relaxed melodic music. Very nice.

Lovely album - a record’s record - pleasant synth alt rock with a French accent.

This is glorious. This is what I want from this list. Fantastic music from a band with a hefty catalogue I've never heard before. This is chill but keeps it mainly upbeat throughout. Perfect for doing chores around the house. I can't explain why I like this so much the more I listen the higher I want to rate it. It's just great fun. 9/10

More familiar with other stereo lab tracks. This was ok though.

Decent

super funky psychedelic French jams

Neat album. Was a lot of fun to listen to.

I suppose this album is good at what it does, which mostly consists nonsensical electro-gibberish. There were even moments when I found myself nodding along. And for that alone, I give it two nods of the head out of five, and not a single nod more.

Boring, generic

Not big on electronica but I really liked this and added it to my library

Aside from the name of the album, there wasn't much here that I could take away. Seems like perfectly serviceable rock music, albeit I'm sure some messaging went over my head being in a different language and all. Highlight: The Noise of Carpet Lowlight: Olv 26 Surprise Hit: Emperor Tomato Ketchup

I really wanted to like the beats but every song was just so repetitive and annoying and I did not enjoy the vocals. I skipped the end of almost every song because it just kept going but nothing new or interesting happened at any point in the song. It was grating.

Cool and interesting!

Not what I thought. UK/EU neo-krautrock. 3.5

This grew on me

Just when I thought an album can’t get any worse than OK Computer…

Just couldn't get into a single song here; towards the back half you're just waiting for it to be over

This album was played at every party I was ever at in the late 90s, early 00s.

I dont know what it was, but I REALLY liked this album

French avant-garde. Too avant-garde for me though.

Það er eitthvað ljúft og heillandi við þetta.

La voix de la chanteuse ne me revient pas – même si ça s’améliore un peu en français. Je n’aime pas vraiment le genre construit sur la répétition et la variation. Les synthétiseurs sonnent datés.

3.5 Good French, almost as good a French Kissing.

Decent from a musical point of view but vocal and lyrical content didn’t really do much for me.

pretty good pop sound, overall light and airy.

Nah

Not quite Stereolab at their most majestic, but close enough.

fun lush tunes gotta listen more sadly I enjoy dots and loops way more

Rock alternativo.

Weird

This was goofy.

Unusual album, I quite liked it

This one’s a vibe, I liked it!

I enjoyed this! Kooky!

Didn’t really do anything for me soz

Interesting, I don't normally listen to foreign language albums, or French in this case, but I liked it. The riffs were sticky, the lyrics swung lightly, and some psychedelic to boot.

Would be ok to listen to high. Otherwise not great, not bad, just chill.

Découverte totale. C'était assez inattendu, sans être révolutionnaire ça faisait une bonne musique d'ambiance.

Very meh, pas trop de substance mais de petites idées quand même. +1 à la note grâce aux petits bouts en français

3,5

Late and brain-pleasing in contrast is the return to abstract space buoyed by soundscape design. It adds polish to the comparatively simple tunes in the middle of Emperor Tomato Ketchup, those loops backgrounded. The foreground's always-beautiful singing.

HL: "Cybele's Reverie", “Percolator”, "OLV 26", “Tomorrow Is Already Here” What to say about this weird, funky, fresh, French album? Track 1, “Metronomic Underground” tested my patience at first. It takes forever to go nowhere, I thought! Relistening after hearing the rest of the album, I can appreciate its subtle layer building, as well as admit I was listening too closely. Like the LCD Soundsystem I got a while back (which has grown on me), this is not the place to look for traditional song structures. By the time I got to the title track, which has the same elements that tested me in “Underground” (2 minutes of the same looped drums before anything happens!), I was ready for it and could more easily enjoy it. Rating: somewhere between a 1 and a 5 September 27, 2023

I don't really have strong feelings toward this album and wasn't super engaged the whole time but I thought that it was pretty unique and interesting in terms of vocals and its electronic alt-rock sound. Not something I'd listen to regularly aside from the first and last track but it has a cool title and was perfectly alright for an hour of listening.

Another one of those bands that have gone on to influence a large portion of the music I now listen to. I love how upbeat and playful this album is. The electronica elements are also really great.

Fun album

Not a genre I typically listen to.

Kinda boring after a while. I dig the vibe but hearing it as a whole album is a bit much.

Teils schrammeliges Vocals bei wenig interessantem Rock.

"Emperor Tomato Ketchup" es un álbum de Stereolab que te hace sentir muchas emociones diferentes mientras lo escuchas. Tiene canciones que suenan como un sueño y otras que te hacen sentir lleno de energía. Algunas letras están en francés, lo que le da un toque especial. El álbum trata sobre muchas cosas, como recordar el pasado y pensar en la vida. También tiene diferentes estilos de música, como música psicodélica y experimentos musicales. En resumen, este álbum es como un viaje emocionante a través de diferentes sensaciones y estilos musicales, con canciones en diferentes idiomas.

I really like stereolab, but honestly, they’re kinda samey after a few songs.

It is wrong to approach Stereolab as producers of music. They make soundscapes and feelings. When you bear that in mind, most of their soundscapes are enormously fun. This is no exception. I have to say that I prefer Dots and Loops, but sure, I'll take this.

Enjoyed at the start but couldn't wait for it to finish by the end...

An interesting record from a band that hasn't crossed my path before. I enjoyed the Anglo-French vibe. The songs are metronomic looped sounds and have a light and summery feel. Great pop.

Spotify says they have "hypnotic rhythms and mesmerizing vocals". Well, I don't think that way. I find the whole performance, especially the no-harmony vocals, a bit annoying even.

Boooooooo

I loved how it went from 70s French to soundscape and indie.

Yes! Love Stereolab. One of my favorites bands and basically tied for my favorite album by them. I love this so much. I place a high value on tone and texture and Olv 26 is a very nice example. Overall, the mix of smooth French / English female vocals, philosophical / political lyrics, chill Krautrock moog with strings vibes is right up my alley. 5/5

Had some bops in here for sure. Common 90s electronic music W

bad. didn’t like it. maybe the first song was okay. but i will not be coming back to this

Not really into this

I wasn’t expecting this: I clicked play on this album expecting to be met with the most random almost comedic music but no. A French album by surprise with really good beats and kept me engaged throughout the length of the record. I felt myself really enjoying this so will definitely listen again.

Pretty awesome French music.

Boring

Forgettable melange of pop-funerary sorrow.

uma viagem o som, um pouco repetitivo por vezes, mas criativo, diferentao sem ser xaropao

Good to have on in the background but didn't blow me away

Really enjoyable but just lacked any killer tracks to make it a 4

enjoyed the bloops and beats

Really good. Alternative in a fun way. Mashing genres together and it stuck the landing

I didn't like this at all. Didn't like the vocals, music didn't have enough variation within the songs, each song just went on too long.

Love this (and all other Stereolab - surprised Dots and Loops is not in this list). This still sounds completely fresh. So good! Listened to this about three times in the past day.

i mean, it's stereolab, so it's a five. i absolutely adore their sound, it's really unlike any other band i've ever heard. and the vocals are so unique as well, they have a really soothing and nostalgic feel to them. i don't really know how this album compares to their others as i haven't listened to most of them - i think dots and loops is a bit better - but i enjoy this one's combination of synthyness and rock elements. and stereolab is always a little weird, which i think adds to it.

Much better than I expected, given the name, genre, description, and just about everything else. Surprised me. Best track: OLV 26

Stereolab rocks

Les allees, les venues, labyrinthe, mais qu'y vois je? La sortie, je la voie, elle est la, on est peu, Bien trop peu, au travers, murs epais je peux le faire, Faire tomber, les ecrans, do trompage, do trompage Different from everything else, and in a really great way. 4/5

I don’t like the album cover or name, and Stereolab isn’t a gripping name either so I have ignored them until now, which is my bad. They are a clear influence on bands from the 00s that I love and I should be more respectful. Album has some chill tunes but it loses me at points. 5/10

God, I liked it, but why is it so long?

Very chill record. Easy to listen to but also contains strong vibes. Some moment / songs are really particular... Overall strong 4

Very weird experimental art pop album with some electronic elements mixed in. Most of the songs are extremely simple and repetitive by design which leaves an almost hypnotic impression on the listener. The vocals are also often repeated in French and English and act as another instrument moreso than anything else. It was definitely an interesting album. I can’t say I enjoyed it a lot but there were some moments where I can see some (albeit very few) people would enjoy. It was just a bit too obscure for me.

я готов кружиться в этом альбоме бесконечно. Он не надоедает, он тебя кружит и веселит. При этом достаточно легко слушается фоном алкоальбом: белое вино и сырная тарелка

Вот вроде смотришь на список альбомов и ждёшь чего-то французского на Rythmes Digitales. А в итоге - кетчуп тут как тут. Какой же музыкальный язык конечно всё-таки... смыслов там правда немного. Вот только не знаю, как не везде мне вокал понравился. Особенно когда Летиция пытается петь низко - странно выходит. По вайбу напомнило Spiritualized на минималках: здесь как будто не хватило глубины.

мозг перегрузился от жужжания знатно конечно

Not for me

Experimental or pretentious? Curious mix of art-rock/pop/funk/jazz. Not really a fan.

Right on the fence between 3 & 4 for this one. Gonna go with the benefit of the doubt though. The tracks would be kinda slow on their own, but the whole thing was really groovy, and the lyrics were sharp. BT - Cybele's Reverie - Tomorrow is Already Here - Motoroller Scalatron - Slow Fast Hazel

Background music, maybe... Not something I'll buy. 2/5

It was interesting and had some well crafted music but not sure how much I will listen to this going forward.

Sweet trip/air/Cocteau twins vibe very nice

A mix of French and English, more French sounding but with a English 90s Alternative twist

This is like a high 3/low 4. Pleasant listening but gets a bit stale and then it's almost like they know its got a bit stale and fails to really come up with something good but carries on anyway. I also know that I have a bit of a soft spot for the soft French sound which isn't to everyone's taste. If you're still reading and liked this, check out Saudade but Thievery Corporation

Really fun album. Nice vocals, fun riffs and beats. So nice, I listened twice.

Bon ptit album electro-psychedelique, mashup de plusieurs genre différent, très catchy et madame qui chante en français

Better than I expected. The first and last tracks were annoying and repetitive, but some of the stuff in between was pretty good and varied.

not bad

Fun alternative album that I think deserves a spot on this list for it's uniqueness alone. Great unpacking music!

Here's a fun one! I listened to this album years ago, not knowing anything about the artist or music, I was just intrigued by the cover and the name. I remember liking it, but I think this time I liked it even more. Some really fantastic grooves on here, a lot that you can sink your teeth into. Nice futuristic stuff. Still don't know anything about this band but I dig their sound, and that's really all that matters, isn't it? Favorite tracks: Cybele's Reverie, Les Yper-Sound, Olv 26, Tomorrow is Already Here, Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Motoroller Scalatron. Album art: Awesome funky digital art. Some kind of bronze spring tornado, crusing through a desert into a setting sun, that's what it looks like to me. It's abstract though, that's half the fun. Font is funky, colors are great. Love this one. 4.5/5

Really really enjoyable. I have a soft spot for females singing in French, and for this kind of chill electronic music.

I can see what they're trying to accomplish, but it all sounds quite messy and the repetitiveness is really annoying.

Quite enjoyed it, some songs more than others but overall quite enjoyable 3.5/5

Some nice dreamy sounds

I like it! Didn't know this. Early Arcade Fire vibes

Interesting...would definitely give them more of a listen. 3.5/5

Som bizarre plein de truc que j'ai aimé 3.75.

Way too loungey

Hmmm. This was a unique album but I didn't really like it. Glad I listened to it, but not interested in listening again.

A unique blend of prog rock, indie pop, and electronic accoutrement. The French female vocals are such a welcomed flair to the music. This record would not be a casual-listening choice, but it certainly has a place for making some food or chilling with friends and making some drinks. Pleasant vibe for this medium tempo jam. The instruments do not fight one another, and the music is very well mixed and arranged. Some songs are fuller than others, however the good ones shine!

Bof

Hypnotic and happy-making. Elegant and understated. Dreamy and delightful.

Not my jam