LADYTRON - LADYTRON

One of the finest pieces of music news I got in 2018 (other than confirmation that the Depeche Mode tour was finally ending meaning I could put the Global Spirit Tour Project to bed and reclaim my life) was that Ladytron were coming back. For reasons I've never been able to understand, Ladytron have never been given the recognition their immense back catalogue deserves - if this album doesn't put that right, I'm officially giving up on holding out any hope for the public's taste in music.

Since 2011's Gravity The Seducer, the members of the band have been off doing their own thing. Helen Marnie's two solo albums Crystal World and Strange Words And Weird Wars were two exceptional albums much loved by this blog, both of which moved away from the dark electronics of Ladytron into a poppier area. On Ladytron, this poppier, lighter feel combines wonderfully with the band's trademark sound, producing an album rich in quality and bursting with wonderful tunes. 

Opener Until The Fire opens the album perfectly with a real statement of intent, leading into the already released The Island. Both The Island and The Animals were issued last year to rightful acclaim, but when you hear them as part of the album, they sound bigger and even better. They, and indeed the whole of this album, seem to suggest that Ladytron have found a new level of confidence, making them sound better than they ever have done. When you compare this album to Chvrches sadly forgettable third album, there is a marked difference.

It no doubt seems over the top to say this, but it's very hard to pick one highlight out from this album because the whole thing is excellent. It's not too often a 13 track album will hold the listener's attention its full duration, but Ladytron manages this effortlessly. Tower Of Glass is a stunning track which, like the album's penultimate track The Mountain, brings to mind Helen Marnie's solo work.  The blazing electronics in Paper Highways are just superb and Mira's lead vocal on the track is sublime. A Mira track is always welcome. At the band's comeback show in Glasgow last year, Black Cat was a standout as it always is. If the band tour this album (and let's hope they do), Paper Highways will doubtless be a similar highlight.

Even though the job of a review is to review the album in some depth, I'm going to ignore that and just once again say that this album is excellent. You really do have to listen to it. Ladytron have been away far too long and not many bands come back after such a break with the same magic they previously had. Ladytron have not only come back impressively, but they've come back sounding bigger and better than they ever have done. Ladytron is an album you really don't want to miss.

Ladytron by Ladytron is out on 15 February on !K7. Find out more at https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/ladytron

REVIEW: MARNIE - STRANGE WORDS AND WEIRD WARS

As Depeche Mode take a brief pause on their world tour, I can take a brief pause from the Global Spirit Tour Project to write a review of the new Marnie record Strange Words And Weird Wars. Listening to the album, as I have done many times already, I can't help but think she'd make a fine support act for DM's global trek, firstly given how popular she is among the Black Swarm anyway, but secondly because these songs played live would be a great way to open a Depeche show. Perhaps if they get round to confirming a Glasgow show for later this year? It makes sense Martin and co.

Anyway, to the album. This is  Helen Marnie's second solo release and it is a real treat for fans of electronic pop, building on her wonderful solo debut release Crystal World, adding a new layer of crisp pop to great effect. By now you should all know lead single Alphabet Block which kicks off the album and which I reviewed a while ago (review). As part of that review, I had a quick chat to Helen and asked about the new album and during that she said that the new album was "definitely a pop effort"  and that's apparent throughout. As Alphabet Block and the second single, the magnificent Lost Maps, show though, this is more than a straightforward pop album - it's a beautifully crafted, intriguing gorgeously synth laden album that is surely bound to be looked on as one of this year's finest.



Bloom and G.I.R.L.S follow Alphabet Block, a faultless opening trio, with G.I.R.L.S boasting a chorus that even the dead would dance to, before recent single Electric Youth slows things down a little with its mix of 80's power pop and pure synthpop a real joy. The video (below) reflects those influences and, as I'm a huge fan of an HQFU, it's cool to see Sarah Stanley both in the video and as a key part of Marnie's live set up.



A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night and Summer Boys both show off a darker synthpop side and both a re wonderful with Summer Boys sounding like the sort of single Mute would have loved to have released in their early days. The distorted sounding synths on that track are one of those things that, if you're a bit of a synth nerd, are music to your ears. Glorious. The closing track Heartbreak Kid is another standout, containing yet another chorus that's impossible to ignore and impossible to get out of your head.

Like I said earlier, this album is surely going to be considered one of this year's finest. I'm biased of course being a huge Ladytron fan, a Glasgow based blogger who goes on a tad too much about electronic music including of course Depeche Mode and someone who loves Crystal World, but in all honesty, this is a superb album. There's so much incredible music coming out of Glasgow just now but, despite the competition, Marnie has raised the bar. This is an album you don't want to miss.

Strange Words And Weird Wars by Marnie is out now and is available on all the usual digital places. Ignore them though and head to her Bandcamp pages for cd's and a grogeous clear vinyl release. 

Marnie Bandcamp https://helenmarnie.bandcamp.com/
Official site http://helenmarnie.com/

ETIQUETTE - REMINISCE

Etiquette are yet another band to feature on here who are part of the Hand Drawn Dracula roster. You know the rules by now - if it's on that label then it's going to be good. Like two of my favourite local labels Hot Gem and Night School, Hand Drawn Dracula turns out one superb release after another and Reminisce, the debut album by Etiquette is another such record.

Etiquette are Graham Walsh and Julie Fader, both of who have been around on Canada's incredibly diverse and rich indie scene. Reminisce is primarily synth dominated with many of the songs having a feel of a combination of cold wave, mid 80's Cure and melodies that bring to mind Depeche Mode somewhere between Some Great Reward and Black Celebration. That kind of combination only means one thing - Reminisce is exactly the sort of thing that I, and regular readers of this blog, love.

A couple of tracks aside, more of which shortly, Reminisce moves at a dreamlike pace, working as a whole rather than as a collection of songs which is impressive. The opening bleeps and synth washes of Pleasantries almost immediately surround you in virtual dry ice and they lead to Brown & Blue which increases the pace, bringing to mind the more pop oriented synth led sounds of the mid 80's albeit with a distinctly modern feel. As the album progresses via Attention Seeker, Outside In and Sleep To Wake Up, you become immersed in Etiquette's very clever electronic pop, with Julie's vocals being a standout. Their crisp clarity is a perfect counterpoint to the music.

Suddenly though, Twinkling Stars arrives. It's a riot of Vince Clarke like synths taking on Ladytron at their peak with Kraftwerk refereeing and it's an absolute gem as you can hear below. It's not the most representative track when you consider the album as a whole but it really works in the context of the record.


The last three tracks, Promises, On And On and Island round off the album perfectly, with On And On being one of the other notable tracks here. Reminisce really is a wonderfully autumnal, electronic album that manages to give atmospheric tracks enough edge to keep your attention throughout and it's one that I'd recommend you check out.

Reminisce by Etiquette is available now on Hand Drawn Dracula.

Etiquette Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ETIQUETTExo/?fref=ts
Hand Drawn Dracula http://handdrawndracula.com/