Ladytron : Releases >>
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Velocifero >>
Four albums in, and it's quite clear that Liverpool's Ladytron are not susceptible to the dancefloor's flightier urges. Like its predecessors, Velocifero is electro-pop to the core, a sparking circuit of cold emotions and enveloping synths that despite its remove -- or perhaps because of it -- feels the perfect vehicle for some genuinely affecting pop songs. Boasting additional production work from Nine Inch Nails' Alessandro Cortini and Vicarious Bliss of notorious Parisian imprint Ed Banger, there is a certain robust quality of sound here: "Black Cat", sung by Mira Aroyo in her native Bulgarian, commences with booming drums and big black smears of synthesiser. But there are signs of a certain playfulness, too. "Ghosts" rides a lolloping glam beat that positions it in the area of Goldfrapp's Black Cherry, Helena Marnie's cool, mysterious vocal recalling Stereolab's Laetitia Sadler in its veiled promise: "There's a ghost in me/who wants to say I'm sorry/Doesn't mean I'm sorry". The Aroyo-sung "Kletva", meanwhile, is a cover of the theme from an old Bulgarian children's TV program, performed with an uncharacteristic jaunt that, while relatively alien to Ladytron, actually works rather nicely.--Louis Pattison
Witching Hour >>
Light & Magic >>
Light and Magic >>
How does Light & Magic follow a record like 604?--On their last album, arch synth-popsters Ladytron were early if unwilling exponents of the sound now known as electroclash. Scene luminary Felix Da Housecat declared it the best electronic record he'd heard since The Human League's Dare and it certainly shared something of the same tuneful naivety. But where now for these silicon teens? Back to where they started it seems, because for all intents and purposes things remain fairly static on the musical front and there's little sign of progression in the songwriting. Keen to push their under-produced drone of buzzing analogue keyboards, biscuit-tin drum machines and "foreign spy" vocals to the max, the band unfortunately forgot to add any tunes. Sometimes its works, like the cute and eminently likable "Seventeen", but for every sequenced rumble passing itself off as retro Eurotrash there are too many motorik dirges to deal with, plus the sort of half-formed melodies no amount of ironic backing vocals can hide. Shame. --Paul Tierney
Softcore Jukebox >>
604 >>
Extended Play [Bonus DVD] [Us Import] >>
Witching Hour: +DVD >>
Witching Hour >>
Ghosts >>
