“laika”
Laika
Sounds Of Satellites
Too Pure/Sire
I was reading National Geographic the other day and I stumbled upon the statement “people shouldn’t know that Van Gogh painted Starry Night from the window of the mental institution he was committed to… it changes their perception of it far too much… “ Now, I didn’t previously know that, and it really changed my perception… And by that same token, I kinda wish I hadn’t found out that Laika shared members (or something) with Stereolab.
Sounds of Satellites is not a monumental record, it’s just nice on the ears, which is probably what I’d say in a Stereolab review. However, Laika chooses to stand closer to the foreground than Stereolab. A bit of sensual dub and tasteful, more laid back break-beat make Laika a band you tend to listen to as opposed to standing back and letting the music wash over you (an approach I’m more enamored with lately.) The placement of sounds is more calculated with Laika than with Stereolab. Whereas the latter creates a continuous wash of sound, Laika stretches out into space.
Laika also stands to be accessible to a broader audience, in a Portishead kind of way. And, though there’s other meditational type bands I’d rather listen to, I only hope one day to turn on MTV and hear The Jesus Lizard, Aphex Twin, and Laika.
