Take the mid-fi drone of Stereolab's Peng! (with all of its buzzing analog synths), add a solid basis of Magnetic Fields-style pop songs and chord progressions, throw in the signature production sound of His Name Is Alive's Warren Defever, and you have something very much like Sea Saw's Magnetophone. Even when the album's songwriting isn't at its best, there's something in this recombination of spacy tones that turns out excitingly familiar without sounding at all derivative. This makes Magnetophone a largely unbrilliant but thoroughly appealing release, particularly for fans of Stephin Merritt, or anyone who's ever loved the sound of an overdriven analog organ. ~ Nitsuh Abebe, All Music Guide
