Laetitia Sadier

While it might not quite be an elephant in the room, it's impossible to get past the fact that Laetitia Sadier was the voice of Stereolab for a long, long time. Therefore, it isn't surprising that her second solo album reflects those years, although it does so without resorting to simply recycling old ideas. Not hearing from Stereolab (currently on an indefinite hiatus) for a while works to her advantage, as it brings freshness to Silencio, even though there's no mistaking who's singing. Like in her pre-Stereolab band as well ― the almost forgotten McCarthy ― the songs feature an overtly political message delivered via Sadier's gently seductive vocals in a way that might not be immediately obvious to the casual listener. Add musical accompaniment that leans more towards the lighter side of Krautrock, with a heavy dose of Tropicália thrown in, and this is an album that's very easy to listen to in many ways. Silencio might not be unexpected, but it is satisfying. Sadier's glorious voice could easily cover-up a multitude of sins, but it doesn't have to on Silencio because this is a great collection of songs.