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Review: Stereolab continue to trawl through their vast back catalogue on the fourth instalment of the Switched On compilation series. This edition, titled Electronically Processed, focuses primarily on rare and hard-to-find tracks (many tucked away on very limited seven-inch singles), with a handful of alternative versions, outtakes and previously unreleased cuts thrown in. Fans will find much to savour across the two-disc set, from Krautrock-tinged Chanson songs (see the rather fine 'Household Names' and Serge Gainsbourg-with-added-funk vibes of 'The Super It'), to more experimental instrumentals from soundtracks, and even the odd dancefloor-ready stomper ('Dimension M2'). In a word: essential.

Review: This is the album that marked a departure from a more guitar-y, orthodox approach of using drone style repetition to conjure a transcendental atmosphere. Instead, they embraced interconnecting and looping riffs, which was a creative lease of life for the band at the time. Co-founder Tim Gane has been open about his creative struggle before until they embraced this way of creating, which is more associated with hip-hop and electronica than motorik rock. The shift was a successful one with this album one of theirs one of the most celebrated in their decorated oeuvre. Opening cut 'Metronomic Underground' is up there as a highlight: melodies and ideas flow in and around each other in a dense yet hypnotic fashion. And the title-track has a magnetic groove as it invites you in and furnishes you with psychedelic sonic patterns, as chanteuse Laetitia Sadier's eerie yet beautiful vocals lure you in even further. Stereolab's music is like magic dust and this album is as strong a proof as any that they have that je nes se pais.

Review: Stereolab's superb Switched On series hits the fifth volume here with another essential collection of their rarest releases. Also included along the way are some unreleased tunes and despite this being the fifth volume it is still impeccably high in standard. Just check out Autechre's remix of 'Refractions in the Plastic Pulse' for evidence - it's as thrilling as they come while Stereolab's second collaboration with Nurse With Wound is another good one. It is 31 minutes of psychedelic kraut to really lose your mind to. Fans old and new are sure to lap up this one.