LISTEN: Ladytron Go Back to the Future on “Ladytron”

The electro-futurists return with new synth-dance anthems for the modern world.
LISTEN: Ladytron Go Back to the Future on “Ladytron”

The electro-futurists return with new synth-dance anthems for the modern world.

Words: Scott T. Sterling

photo by Maria Louceiro

February 07, 2019

It’s impossible to talk about Ladytron’s future without delving into the electro-futurist outfit’s past.

Formed in Liverpool all the way back in 1999, the band blazed through the early and mid-2000s on the heat of sleek and steely synth-rock dance tracks like “Seventeen,” “Evil,” and “Destroy Everything You Touch.”

Ladytron’s sound was intricately weaved into the nightlife scene of the era, when VICE Magazine parties, PBR, The Misshapes, and The Cobrasnake ruled over the club culture landscape.

In 2019, the group has revealed its first full-length in nearly eight years. It’s a self-titled and crowdfunded affair that is currently being previewed over at NPR.

While the cultural landscape has shifted dramatically in the time since remixes of “Seventeen” topped DJ playlists around the world, Ladytron’s return finds that the band can still conjure up powerful and propulsive dance-rock themes —and prime remix source material—for a new generation.

The album opens with the explosive “Until the Fire,” which adds a Motown swing to Ladytron’s signature dark-lit sound. The group explores a panorama of moods and textures through the LP, revealing not just their musical depths, but also the influence they’ve had on new bands like CHVRCHES, Chromatics, and countless others.

Tune into Ladytron’s fine new self-titled album here.