December 17th, 2002: an instant 0 in the universe. Stereolab lost Mary Hansen, the singer and guitarist who followed Laetitia Sadier’s lead and provided crucial counterpoint. She was struck and killed on her bike, which she used to get everywhere. Mary’s presence made Stereolab stand out: That they were fronted by not one but two crisp, clear female sopranos was irresistible and fresh. Their interwoven vocal interplay was pure crochet. She helped translate Stereolab’s collaborative, socialist milieu into their sound.

Mary had been with the band through all their seminal releases, from their intensely krautrock-focused early material to the Jim O’rourke- and John McEntire-produced orchestral pop of their middle period. Originally from Australia, Hansen was a staple in the London art community and a prolific collaborator with American and European post-rock bands. After her death, Stereolab released the Instant O in the Universe EP in a period of sadness, and dedicated their next LP Margerine Eclipse to her memory.

Enjoy DJ Nobody’s excellent selection of Stereolab tracks featuring Mary along with an excellent Mouse on Mars collaboration, recorded at dublab a month after her passing.

Tracklist:

Stereolab – Revox
Stereolab – L’enfer Des Formes
Stereolab – St. Elmo’s Fire (Radio)
Stereolab – Brigitte
Stereolab – Long Life Love
Stereolab – Puncture in The Radak Permutation
Stereolab – Speedy Car
The Pastels – One Wild Moment (Stereolab Remix)
Mouse on Mars – Cache Coeur Naif
Stereolab – The Flower Called Nowhere
Stereolab – Off-On

FROM THE VAULTS is an ongoing curation project produced by Ben Sinclair, resurfacing rare live performances and DJ sets recorded during dublab’s first ten years.

bensinclair1@gmail.com