LADYTRON - Velocifero
Posted by AlMachine on Monday, June 23, 2008


With 2005’s Witching Hour, it looked like Ladytron were finally set to ditch their tag as a cult act and move firmly into the next league.

Where their previous albums had been patchy affairs - moments of brilliance scattered among plenty of filler - Witching Hour was the moment they finally realised their potential.

But having hit their stride, the real test will be if they could maintain the standards now set and push them further.
Velocifero was never going to be an easy record to make, but Black Cat is an ominous way to start any album. They ice cold synths and vocals are trademark Ladytron, but the booming drums mix well with the stark electronics to hotwire their sound to a beating heart.

They’ve always been serious types, dressed in black with stares to stop even the most hyperactive child in his tracks, but they could always be trusted to throw in a three-minute pop gem.

Hanging around with Nine Inch Nails appears to have knocked the sugary sweetness out of them, but there are still flickers of cheeriness that conflict their austere image.
Ghosts has a militant march somewhere between Kasabian and the Glitter Band, while Runaway digs out the retro drum machines to make it sound like Phil Oakey has just walked in the room.

Velocifero hasn’t got the instant appeal which made Witching Hour such a pleasant surprise, but it looks like having legs just as long.

You get the feeling if Ladytron were ever going to make it big, they would have done so. But while they keep putting out records as good as this they’ll always have a captive audience.

Andy Robbins

7/10

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