Stereo Total
| Company type | Duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Defunct | 2021 |
| Headquarters | Berlin , Germany |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Stereo Total was a bilingual French-German duo based in Berlin, composed of Françoise Cactus—previously a co-frontwoman of the West Berlin group Les Lolitas—and Brezel ('pretzel') Göring, also known as Friedrich von Finsterwalde, who formerly played with Haunted Henschel and Sigmund Freud Experience.
The duo’s social media platforms announced that Françoise Cactus passed away from breast cancer on 17 February 2021 at the age of 57.
Both artists contributed vocals and played several instruments; during live performances, Cactus typically took on drums, while Göring managed guitar and synthesizers. Occasionally, their touring ensemble expanded to include other musicians such as bassist and vocalist Angie Reed.
Their initial development occurred within Berlin's easy listening circuit, frequently opening for the DJ duo Le Hammond Inferno. This team later established Bungalow Records and signed Stereo Total, who went on to become the label's most prominent act, attracting fans throughout Europe, Japan, Brazil, and the United States.
Musical style
Stereo Total’s sound is characterized by a whimsical and diverse fusion of synth-pop, new wave, electronic music, and pop music. Their distinct style draws heavily on 1960s European retro influences, incorporating elements of psychedelic and garage rock, alongside tributes to French pop legends such as Françoise Hardy and Brigitte Bardot. They are also known for producing intentionally kitschy lo-fi reinterpretations of popular songs across pop, rock music, and soul music, including a purposely tacky version of Salt-N-Pepa’s electro-rap hit "Push It".
Their lyrics are predominantly performed in German, French, and English, with occasional use of Japanese, Spanish, and Turkish. Their catalog features covers from artists including Sylvie Vartan, Françoise Hardy, Brigitte Bardot, Serge Gainsbourg, the Velvet Underground, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Pizzicato Five, Hot Chocolate, and Nina Hagen.
Songs used in advertisements
"I Love You, Ono," a retitled rendition of "I Love You, Oh No!" originally by Japanese new wave group Plastics from the album My Melody, was utilized in several major advertising campaigns: Sony’s European Handycam commercial in June 2005, Dell’s Studio 15 promotion in 2009, and Dior Addict advertisements in both the UK and Spain during 2012. Furthermore, it was selected as the theme song for Channel 4’s Anna and Katy in 2013 by co-creators Anna Crilly and Katy Wix. The title cleverly references both the original Plastics track and artist Yoko Ono, highlighting its Japanese origins.
Their song "L'Amour à trois" (the French adaptation of "Liebe zu Dritt") featured in a 2005 advertising campaign for Swedish mobile operator 3G by 3, as well as commercials on Spain’s channel Cuatro and in the Argentine film Glue. The track "Cannibale" was included in the soundtrack for the video game Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX 4 (2006). "Megaflittchen" appeared in advertisements for Estonian mobile provider EMT. Additionally, "Aua," from their album Monokini, was featured in trailers and end credits for Adam Curtis’ BBC Two documentary series All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace.
Later career
After Reed's exit, she embarked on a solo path. Her initial concept album, Presents the Best of Barbara Brockhaus, was released in 2003 under Chicks on Speed Records, with production by Patric Catani and Bomb 20. Angie performed widely throughout Europe, as well as in Istanbul, Tokyo, and Moscow until 2005, when her sophomore album, XYZ Frequency, was introduced. Working alongside prominent artists like Die Goldenen Zitronen, Gonzales, and Namosh, she takes charge of lyric writing, vocal performances, most instrumental parts, and production efforts. Her musical style ranges from electronica to rock and is frequently complemented by video art that she designs herself for live presentations.
Studio albums
- 1995 · Oh Ah!
- 1997 · Monokini
- 1998 · Juke-Box Alarm
- 1999 · My Melody
- 2001 · Musique Automatique
- 2005 · Do the Bambi
- 2007 · Paris-Berlin
- 2010 · Baby ouh!
- 2012 · Cactus versus Brezel
- 2016 · Les Hormones
- 2019 · Ah! Quel Cinéma!
Compilations
- 1998 · Stereo Total
- 2000 · Total Pop
- 2002 · Trésors cachés [Hidden Treasures] [accessible free on their website]
- 2003 · Party Anticonformiste
- 2007 · Party Anticonformiste (The Bungalow Years)
- 2008 · Grandes Exitos
- 2009 · No Controles
- 2009 · Carte postale de Montréal
- 2015 · Yéyé Existentialiste
Soundtrack appearances
- 2011 · Underwater Love (Onna no kappa) (Shinji Imaoka)
- 2014 · Ruined Heart: Another Lovestory Between a Criminal & a Whore (Pusong Wasak) (Khavn De La Cruz)
Remix album
- 2006 · Discotheque