Laika ‎– Sounds Of The Satellites

It's tempting to file this band away as just another cheap Stereolab imitation, but that won't do. Laika blends together bits of shoegaze, blues, jazz, dub, and indie rock and drizzles them over rhythms with loungey swagger and odd time signatures. Despite the diversity of influences, nothing on this disc feels out of place, though. The warm shimmy of "Breather" flows into the dark trip-hop of "Shut Off/Curl Up", and into the squawky "Martinis On The Moon", and it all sits well together. Best of all are the last two tracks, which end the album on a lovely ambient note that makes me think of Seefeel. This could be grouped in with other female-led groups of the 90's like Lamb, Hooverphonic, and Olive, but there's a weird and playful touch here which makes you want to crank it up and listen closer.