Sadier, Laetitia

***LAETITIA SADIER’s (STEREOLAB) new album has just been delivered, and it’s a joy! Something Shines was recorded and matured more slowly than either Silencio or The Trip. It took nine months, and you know what that means, baby! New life.... Something Shines was initially recorded in Switzerland, where Laetitia’s collaborator DAVID collects amazing old keyboards and organs from people who have inherited them but find no space or usage for them—so they let go of these useless things for a symbolic franc. Scattered through Europe are the component players of the Something Shines band; drummmer EMMANUEL MARIO in Paris and bassist XAVI MUNOZ in Castellon near Valencia, so additional parts were laid down in those cities. The strings were done in St. Etienne by JEAN-CHRISTOPHE CHANTE, whom Laetitia had met on a tour with French band, and friends, Angil in the fall; she found his playing mesmerizing and felt compelled to ask him if he would like to participate on her album—which he did, bringing a great emotional charge to the record. Laetitia recorded a lot of the content in London, including all the vocals, guitars, additional electronics and soundtrack effects as well as final mixing, which wrapped up this Spring. The desire was for the songs of Something Shines to alternate between a riveting caress and an invigorating shake. To start from the Earth and to tilt up, towards the sky, before coming back down to the planet again. Additionally, Something Shines is an exploration—yes another—through Debord’s La Société du Spectacle, and how it is still up to us to guide and shape our fate, individually and collectively. (STREET DATE - 9/23/2014)