Ladytron prepare for Heaven-ly return with Seventeen

By Jack Foley

LADYTRON, 'four like-haired, like-humoured and very different individuals from different parts of the world', return to the musical spotlight on November 18 with the release of the first single to be taken from their new album, Seventeen.

Assembled three years, Ladytron existed outside fashion and against the grain…. and continue to do so. And while synths may drive their music, what lies at its heart is a strong melodic base and a killer pop instinct. Seventeen is a classic example of this, and looks set to propel Ladytron back into chart prominence.

They will also be in the capital, playing a one-off gig at Heaven (details below), before embarking on a nationwide tour.

Ladytron initially existed as a concept dreamed up by founder members Danny Hunt and Reuben Wu, two friends from Liverpool who shared a love of music and djing. The idea of becoming a band became a reality when the duo were joined by Mira Aroyo and Helen Marnie, who'd met while travelling in Eastern Europe.

Their debut album, 604, was released in 2001 and is now regarded, by many, to be a seminal record. Ladytron followed their instincts and produced an album that married 80's electronica with the purest of pop. It received exceptional reviews upon release, with Muzik naming it 'the first great electro record of the new millennium' and prompting The Sunday Times to include it in their albums of the year.

Following the album's release, Ladytron spent the remainder of the year playing festivals, touring Europe and djing, confusing and amusing audiences wherever they went, and picking up yet more adjectives along the way.

As the year came to a close, however, a new musical trend was emerging. Electro-clash/nu-electro/synthcore was starting to make an impact and Ladytron found themselves at the forefront of the movement. 604 quickly became regarded as the template for synthcore, something of a surprise to Ladytron who had never intended making anything other than a classic pop record.

Despite being highly regarded amongst their peers from Felix Da Housecat to Tiga, they found their new position as tech pop pioneers flattering but bewildering.

In early 2002, and with everyone else looking east to Berlin and New York, Ladytron decided to do the opposite and head west to Los Angeles to record their new album. In a studio full of old synths and drum machines, Mickey Petralia (Beck, Beastie Boys) worked with Ladytron to produce an album that reflected their diverse tastes and personalities.

Six months on and Ladytron are set to release Light & Magic, an album with the emphasis on song-writing and narrative, and incorporating everything from analogue warmth to dreamy vocals to varied beats.

Seventeen, the first single to be taken from it, will be available on both 12" and CD. Both formats feature the original, Droyd's and Soulwax mixes, with the 12" also including the Mantraxx mix, which gives a sparser and spikier edge to the original. The Droyd's weigh in with a lower strung and more epic take of cheek throbbing proportions, whilet Soulwax add grinding guitars taking the listener on an entirely different journey….

The Ladytron tour, meanwhile, reaches Heaven, in London, on November 14, before departing for Liverpool and Cardiff in November and Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Manchester in December.

RELATED LINKS: Click here for Ladytron's official website...