Indie-synth, electro-pop, electronica, Euro-trash whatever the genre is known as on any given day, the question remains – “Where have all the guitars gone? What’s this digital sound?” To answer the question, after a long process of losing themselves and freezing in a chamber of digital keyboards, the guitars were found by electronic archaeologists Stereolab.

On their latest effort “Instant O In The Universe,” a five-song EP by the English synthesizer bound journeyman band, Stereolab blends the guitars that we all love with the lounge lust feel of their European counterparts, while mixing up the English and French lyrics cto create a very mysterious, sexy vibe.

The guitars and real drumsets – that’s right they don’t always use drum machines – blend perfectly with the keyboards and fake drumsets to create a feeling of honest lying. Stereolab incessantly drops and blends the man-made music with the computer generated beats and “pop pop pops” we all associate with “electro-pop.” Like most great records, the pinnacle makes the trip from your CD laser (or record needle if you are truly a music buff) to your ears by the second song, or fifth minute of the CD. “Jaunty Monty and the Bubbles of Silence” is a poppy, happy, sunshine-y blend of upbeat pop progression with an underlying venom that this writer finds immensely attractive. Think early Cardigans, late Talking Heads, the latest Royksopp and Erlend Oye and upbeat Belle and Sebastian … if you know what I mean, you know what to do. If you don’t, wait for the full length to come out. You may be happy with five songs, but just five will leave you begging for more.