604 [2011 Bonus Tracks]

by Ladytron

Overview

On their debut full-length 604, Ladytron prove how apt their name is: their sound mixes evocative vintage synths and plaintive female vocals as it references over two decades' worth of electronica, new wave, and rock (including Roxy Music, whose "Ladytron" is the group's namesake). Like the Commodore Rock EP, 604 balances Ladytron's experimental and pop sides. "Mu-Tron" and "Zmekya" reinterpret Add N to (X)'s noisy, dystopian soundscapes, and the shimmering "CSKA Sofia" sounds like Kraftwerk filtered through Broadcast. However, it's the tightly structured pop songs that set Ladytron apart. Helen Marnie is Ladytron's lovelorn heart and soul, a heartbroken disco diva singing through her tears on "Another Breakfast With You" and "Discotraxx" and a sadder but wiser confidante on "Playgirl." Meanwhile, Mira Aroyo's deadpan singing and Bulgarian accent add a touch of Ninotchka-style wit and irony to "Paco!" which parodies a department store's fake cheeriness, and "I'm With the Pilots," a piece of Weimar Republic-era cabaret brought into the 21st century. Marnie and Aroyo's vocals blend perfectly on songs like the brooding, witty single "He Took Her to a Movie." But Ladytron's mix of retro songwriting and modern themes is their most interesting, and distinctive, aspect. Set at the airport and the disco, "Jet Age" blends jealousy and sexual ambiguity, asking "Do you want to be her or don't you / Of course you do / But would she be you?" This subversive streak makes the album's synth-pop more progressive -- and more satisfying -- than its blatantly experimental moments, but either way, 604 is an exciting debut from a group capable of making overused influences sound fresh again. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	01/18/2011
Label:	Nettwerk / Nettwerk Productions
UPC:	0067003091220
Rank:	45146

Tracks

1. Mu-Tron
2. Discotraxx
3. Another Breakfast With You
4. CSKA Sofia
5. The Way That I Found You
6. Paco!
7. Commodore Rock
8. Zmeyka
9. Playgirl
10. I¿¿¿m With The Pilots
11. This Is Our Sound
12. He Took Her To A Movie
13. Laughing Cavalier
14. Ladybird
15. Jet Age
16. Skools Out¿¿¿
17. USA vs. White Noise
18. He Took Her To A Movie
19. Commodore Rock
20. Playgirl [Snap Ant Remix]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ladytron   Primary Artist
Lisa Eriksson   Vocals,Guest Artist

Technical Credits

Lance Thomas   Engineer,Production Consultant,Producer
Daniel Hunt   Composer
Mira Aroyo   Composer
Ladytron   Design,Producer,Composer
Grimes Adhesif   Composer
Bryn Derwen   Production Consultant
Tom Dolan   Design