Stereolab

This 1999 long-player from Stereolab featuring a cast of thousands (or thereabouts), you'll notice Jim O'Rourke, The High Llamas' Sean O'Hagan, Tortoise drummer/producer John McEntire and Rob Mazurek of Chicago Underground fame. With all these fine musicians, Cobra And Phases Group is surely Stereolab's most sonically lavish long-player, putting every conceivable instrument (particularly ones that were popular in the 1970s, such as the clavinet and electric harpsichord) to good use. The sophisticated dalliances with progged-up, fusionist lounge-jazz are likely to send many running to the hills, but there's real magic at work in certain corners of this album. Just listen to the David Axelrod-like strings and baroque keys of The Emergency Kisses.