Ladytron by Wendy Redfern
The aughts were marked by many things, and as America rebounded from harsh global realities after 9/11, musical tastes at the indie level turned less angsty to provide a lit-up stage for the showy electroclash movement that would dominate the decade’s first half. Whether they were or even saw themselves as an electroclash outfit, Ladytron’s success at the time is unquestionable.
Formed in Liverpool in 1999 around the time of the Y2K scare by Helen Marnie (vocals, synths), Mira Aroyo (vocals, synths), Daniel Hunt (synths, guitar), and Reuben Wu (synthesizers), Ladytron’s blend of electro-pop, synth-pop and new wave caught the ears and spirits of club culture in a singular way.
And that might be the sole reason they survived the electroclash bust, after the significant cultural impact of their third album, 2005’s “Witching Hour,” which revitalized interest in electro-pop and influenced a new wave of electronic musicians with a darker, more experimental sound and standout tracks like “Destroy Everything You Touch.” Their haunting vocals and layered, atmospheric synths on songs exploring technology, dystopia, and human emotion kept that edge above others well into the next decade with well-received albums in 2008 and 2011.
Fast-forward to 2019 and a return to form with a self-titled record and a new crop of fans — found on TikTok via a viral uptick on their 2002 track “Seventeen” — and the band’s back in the electroclash convo, albeit with hints of revival in the mix. But as their latest album, “Time’s Arrow,” suggests, it’s no revival if you’ve continued to exist and evolve.
Continuing a legacy of synthpop innovation, blending dream-pop, New Wave, and gothic influences, the album is their first without Wu, who departed to concentrate on his artwork. It features instantly replayable tracks like “City of Angels” and “Misery Remember Me” that delve into themes of identity, connection and fragile cultural memory.
Praised for its lush compositions and futuristic soundscapes, “Time’s Arrow” proves that Ladytron’s staying power always resided in their ability to grow, regardless of the hype that propelled them into a flash-in-the-pan genre that never quite suited them.
Ladytron play 7:30pm Monday, Aug. 26 at Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale. ladytron.com ~ Abel Folgar
