One question that immediately begs to be asked is whether Swedish indie-pop darlings, Komeda, have become more like Britain’s Stereolab, or whether Stereolab has become more like Komeda? A palpable unity is found between both of their respective sounds, and it is just as easy to love them both. But all that pondering aside, Stereolab’s newest release really deserves its own spotlight.

Two minutes of spacey oddities, and quirky instrumentation that bring to mind 1960's sci-fi flicks commence the melodious genius of Stereolab’s “Sound-Dust.” Well known for their luscious blend of pared down electronic dabbles, fused with retro Euro-jazz, Stereolab does not fail to provide ample experimentation within the realm of pop.

If anything, the songs are a little bit overambitious, clocking in at anywhere from four to seven minutes. But mostly, that is not the case. For instance, in “Space Moth” length is not of any detriment, because Stereolab takes every opportunity to move the song through a set of thematic movements. An assortment of sounds, beginning with an eerie harpsichord, (think Lurch) and then the alien choir sings “aaaaa-aaaaa-aaaaa” in the background, before the French-lounge pop flutes kick in, and then at some point the whole thing shifts into a speedy tempo. “Qu'est que c'est?”

Throughout, the transitions flow well. Segments of minimalist squeaks and bubbles, Farfisas, Wurlitzers, and the no-nonsense singing of Laetitia Sadier and Mary Hansen coalesce in swank harmonies. “Captain Easychord” groove-infected piano chords have a sort of Charlie Brown charm. Elements of easy-listening chanteuse Mireille Mathieu, and Juan Garcia Esquivel’s space-age orchestration float through the mix, clothed in electronic sound effects, and atmospheric synthesizers, occasionally seasoned with a light bossanova flavor. Horns, Ben Folds-y pianos, slide guitars, and sassy melodies gel together. Within the same tracks, a pause will often give way to a full time-change and new instrumentation, for all intents and purposes a completely different song is born, still under the same name. Topics ranging from loneliness to firm quasi-Marxist statements against capitalism are handled with the same panache, as if the music is really a method of inoculating the public with sing-along political propaganda and intellectualism.

Several tracks on Sound-Dust are infused with too much of a meandering tendency which could render them too nondescript and obscure to make a memorable impression. But as any good laboratory technician would know, the process of mixing the chemicals is sometimes much more important than the final reaction that it garners. Half the satisfaction is found in the act of seeing what combinations might work. And the sensibilities of Stereolab provide an eclectic amalgamation of diversity that works very well.