A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular by Hooverphonic (Review)

I think I drove my co-workers nuts with this album because this has been in constant rotation in my CD-ROM. When A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular first came out, I think some people accused Hooverphonic of trying too hard to sound like Portishead. Frankly, I don’t know what those people were thinking.

Granted, “2wicky” sounds like a Portishead b-side with its Bacharach samples. But whereas Beth Gibbons delivers her vocals with the touch of a stiletto, Hooverphonic’s Liesje Sadonius’ vocals are pure velvet. There are elements of Portishead, as well as Massive Attack, but Hooverphonic is far more spaced out than either band.

Highlights include “Barabas” with its slowly building string samples and rhythms that kick in at just the right time; “Nr. 9,” which is a must-hear for everyone who wondered what Morella’s Forest did with their sound; and “Sarangi,” which sounds like the song Lush was always aiming for throughout their career. This album takes the trip-hop sound and injects a healthy dose of 4AD into it. The result is 11 tracks that would probably be perfect for a high-tech lounge orbiting high above Earth in the distant future.