I Thought I Was Over That: Rare Remixed & B-Sides
It's funny how odds and sods collections by electronic artists often add up to their best releases, fromEnon'sLost MarblestoFennesz'sField Recordingscompilation.I Thought I Was Over That: Rare, Remixed And B-Sideshas the advantage of spanning multiple years, from Lali Puna's early electronic pop to their later, more guitar-oriented stuff. It also has many remixes commissioned by and for the band, deeply broadening the sonic palette. Formed with members of the Tied and Tickled Trio and the Notwist, Lali Puna is something of a minor supergroup. The music is melodic, mellow, and inventive stuff that blurs the line between pop and mildly out-there sounds with politically barbed lyrics sung breathily by  Valerie Trebeljahr. As such, it's perfect for fans ofLamb,Stereolab, andLaika. A few songs are experiments that should have stayed in the studio; "Left-Handed Dub" is dreadful and the remixes by Flowchart and Two Lone Swordsmen are a bit dated--too ‘90s-sounding. But that's still only one tenth of the album, the rest of which is a pleasure.--Mike McGonigal