Laetitia Sadier is a maestro of deceptive sweetness, conveying clandestine politics in an indie-rock landscape not known for its moral fortitude. At Stereolab she wrapped lyrics about war, capitalist collapse and fascism into ultra-noisy pop songs, while Little Tornados, her group with director David Thayer, tackled exploitative economic systems over honeyed guitar licks. Her confrontations have never sounded more terrifying – or uncomfortable – than they do Rooting for LoveSadier's fifth solo album and first since Stereolab reunited in 2019.
“Don't Forget You're Mine” exemplifies the record's subversive audacity. It is, ostensibly, a soft pop song. Its soft melody, bold chord changes and rich strings are reminiscent of the lounge music and pop of the 60s that were among Stereolab's myriad influences. But the lyrics – penned by Véronique Vincent of veteran Belgian experimentalists Aksak Maboul – paint a heartbreaking portrait of femicide, leading to the line 'A good slap is what you need/A good slap is what you want/Get it. take this/Get up, get up, baby'. The contrast between Sadier's musical mood, lyrical darkness and almost impenetrable tone – a model of cool, melodic mystery – is truly unsettling, a reminder of the singer's long history as a politically charged subversive force in modern music.
This is not the only moment reminiscent of Sadier's storied past. Stereolab covered so much ground during their two-decade recording career—try to name a genre that the band he did not do it boo – and Sadier, as the band's singer, songwriter, lyricist and co-founder, has been so integral to their sound that trying to move her solo work under Stereolab's shadow feels like an awkward game. Perhaps realizing this, Sadier leans into her story Rooting for Love: The album's palette of buzzing synths, wandering bass, soft vibraphone thump and intricate vocals suggest Stereolab with the guitars turned down.
“Panser L'inacceptable” suggests space-age Gallic pop Mars Audiac Quintet; “La Nageuse Nue” reflects jazz-influenced dreaminess Dots and loopsand “Une Autre Attente” assimilates Margarine Eclipseimpaired driving. Moving on, “Who + What” has a modern trip-hop beat not atypical of Stereolab, exactly, but not quintessentially so, while “The Inner Smile” comes out on a hauntingly eerie flute that suggests (very) early Kraftwerk, rather than Stereolab's more typical kosmische influences on Neu! and i can
