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**Yello - Stella ★★★★☆**

Twenty-five years after their last studio outing, Swiss electronic pioneers Yello returned in 2016 with "Stella," proving that some musical partnerships transcend the conventional boundaries of time, space, and good sense. Dieter Meier and Boris Blank's reunion felt less like a comeback and more like two mad scientists emerging from their laboratory, blinking in the daylight and wondering what all the fuss was about.

The genesis of "Stella" can be traced back to the duo's gradual reconciliation after years of pursuing separate creative paths. Meier had been busy with his wine business and conceptual art projects in Argentina, while Blank continued tinkering with sounds in his Zurich studio like some sort of sonic alchemist. The spark for their return came from an unexpected source: a request to contribute music for a Swiss television documentary. What began as a simple commission evolved into something far more ambitious – a full-length album that would remind the world why Yello's peculiar brand of electronic eccentricity had influenced everyone from Art of Noise to Kraftwerk.

Musically, "Stella" finds the duo operating in familiar territory while subtly updating their sonic palette for the digital age. The album retains all the hallmarks that made Yello essential listening in the '80s and '90s: Blank's intricate programming and sample manipulation paired with Meier's distinctive baritone delivery, which continues to sound like a cross between a nightclub crooner and a philosophy professor having an existential crisis. The production maintains that characteristic Yello sheen – every sound meticulously placed, every beat precisely programmed, yet somehow retaining an organic warmth that lesser electronic acts struggle to achieve.

The album's standout track, "Waba Duba," exemplifies everything brilliant about Yello's approach. Built around a hypnotic groove that seems to shift and breathe beneath Meier's cryptic vocals, it's simultaneously accessible and utterly alien. The song demonstrates how the duo can take seemingly disparate elements – a children's playground chant, industrial percussion, and what sounds like a malfunctioning robot having a conversation with itself – and forge them into something coherent and compelling.

"Arthur Spark" showcases their more playful side, with Blank's production creating a sonic landscape that feels like a carnival designed by David Lynch. Meier's vocals float over the proceedings like a benevolent ghost, occasionally dropping into his trademark spoken-word segments that somehow manage to be both profound and completely nonsensical. Meanwhile, "Dialectical Kid" strips things back to a more minimal approach, proving that even in their seventies, Yello could still teach younger electronic acts a thing or two about the power of restraint.

The title track "Stella" serves as the album's emotional centerpiece, a surprisingly tender moment that finds Meier at his most vulnerable. Blank's arrangement here is particularly masterful, creating space for genuine emotion while maintaining the duo's signature sound. It's a reminder that beneath all the technological wizardry and conceptual playfulness, Yello has always been fundamentally concerned with human connection.

What's most remarkable about "Stella" is how effortlessly it slots into Yello's discography. There's no sense of veteran musicians trying too hard to recapture past glories or awkwardly attempting to sound contemporary. Instead, it feels like a natural continuation of their artistic journey, as if the intervening decades were merely an extended coffee break.

The album's current status as something of a sleeper hit among electronic music aficionados speaks to Yello's enduring influence. While they may not command the same mainstream attention they enjoyed during their MTV heyday, their impact on electronic music remains undeniable. Artists from Thom Yorke to Aphex Twin have cited Yello as influences, and "Stella" serves as a masterclass in how to age gracefully in electronic music without sacrificing artistic integrity.

In an era where electronic music often prioritizes immediate impact over lasting impression, "Stella" stands as a testament to the value of patience, craftsmanship, and a willingness to embrace the absurd. It's an album that reveals new details with each listen, confirming that Yello's particular brand of electronic alchemy remains as potent as ever. Welcome back, gentlemen – we've missed your beautiful strangeness.