Whereas earlier editions cleanly wrapped up singles, EP tracks, compilations appearances, and other non-album effluvia of a specific era, Pulse of the Early Brain, the fifth installment of Stereolab's odds-and-sods series spans almost the entirety of the band's original, pre-2019 reunion existence, making for a notably less sonically cohesive collection. And, as if to forewarn casual listeners that this edition of Switched On is not for the faint of heart, the first 30-plus minutes are just two tracks, both of which are motorik jams recontextualized by/with Nurse With Wound. Despite their length and unapologetic weirdness, though, "Simple Headphone Mind" and "Trippin' With The Birds" are some of the bravest and most rewarding chunks of space-rock you'll ever hear. Though Pulse of the Early Brain seems to be a final clearinghouse effort to collect random remains into a relatively tidy package some of the material is nonetheless just as refreshing as that of the first four volumes, whether due to rarity or revelation. After the first half-hour, you'll remember why these compilations have been so essential for Stereolab fans, as the set bounces around from late-era space-pop (2008's "Spool of Collusion"), grinding paleo-psychedelia (a 1996 cover of "ABC," from the Godz' third album), a previously unreleased live track ("Cybele's Reverie," recorded at the Hollywood Bowl in 2004, when the band opened for Air), and a mixed bag of buried rarities ("Robot Riot" is part of the second collaboration the group did with sculptor Charles Long) and true castaways (a minute-long split-single track called "Yes Sir! I Can Moogie" which is a truncated and stripped-back version of "Moogie Wonderland"). © Jason Ferguson/Qobuz