Dots and loops

"Released just over a year after 1996's breakthrough, Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Stereolab's fifth studio album, Dots & Loops, encapsulated the London band's retro-futuristic vision they had been moving towards since their formation ... Now reissued as an expanded edition, remastered from the original half-inch tapes, Dots & Loops arrives with a bonus disc of alternate takes, four-track demos and instrumentals. None of the extras are all that essential. There are no previously released B-sides or remixes, however, there is some fascination to be had in hearing how, for example, the epic "Refractions in the Plastic Pulse" began as a two-minute demo. Still, it's the thrill of having this album sounding better than ever that matters most".

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