Velocifero - Ladytron | 80

Deemed the last major remnant of the ill-fated electroclash genre (which they probably never really belonged to in the first place), Ladytron have long been held to inflated expectations to evolve. Their previous album, Witching Hour, was largely hailed as a graceful shift towards a more refined, nuanced, and even (gasp!) organic sound. That album’s liberal use of more traditional indie-rock guitar stylings and emotionally accessible vocals were its easily identifiable “points of growth.” They were still undeniably Ladytron though, and had clearly not discarded the winning formula (drum-machine dance beats, come-hither cool vocals and vintage synths) that initially wooed their audience to them.

The Goldilocks’ porridge of electro-pop, Witching Hour’s palatable blend of modest departure and savvy self-preservation had been just right, and granted Ladytron a unique opportunity to have their cake and eat it too. The very conditions upon which Witching Hour’s positive reception were set, however, would prevent their subsequent work from affording that same luxury twice. Ladytron’s next outing would pretty much have to be judged in terms of additional distance traveled, for its viability as the band’s “next step.” And now here we are. So, is Velocifero moving further ahead, slipping backwards, or simply in stasis – and is this even important?

You may be asking yourself, hey, just what is a Velocifero anyway? To me, it’s the name of an Italian racecar driver. According to the band, however, the word “Velocifero” is literally translated into English (from what language, who knows) as “bringer of speed.” Such a connotation would seem to imply that the album’s content (or the band’s current M.O.) is all about forward momentum - charging off into unknown territory and never looking back. If such an impression was the title’s intention, well, the album succeeds in some aspects, and disappoints in others.

Album opener “Black Cat” has a familiar feel from its very start. Vocalist Mira Aroyo (this album’s secret weapon), rap-sings in her native Bulgarian tongue, backed up by harmonies which she’s also provided. It’s not bad, for sure, but it’s not much more than “meh.” Aside from Ladytron’s decision to install a song exclusively sung in Bulgarian at the album’s pivotal opening slot, there is nothing particularly adventurous or noteworthy about this track. At times it sounds damn-near identical to “Turn It On” from their second album, Light & Magic. You may begin to fear the worst at this point, that Velocifero will prove to be the starting point of Ladytron’s inevitable descent into redundancy – feeling surprised that it took this long to finally happen. With Velocifero’s stumbling at the gates behind us, the news is not as bad as all that.

“Ghosts,” the album’s second track - and first single, feels like Velocifero’s proper launch. Its rollicking guitar riff (their dirtiest to date) is an instant attention-grabber, and propels the song with gusto - seemingly verifying that there just may be something to this whole “bringer of speed” concept after all. Ladytron’s more prominent vocalist, Helen Marnie, is back at the helm, and the user-friendliness of her English-sung lyrics pulls us back into the fold. The chorus’ refrain of: “There’s a ghost in me/ Who wants to say I’m sorry/ Doesn’t mean I’m sorry,” will have you singing along in no time, and wondering why this song isn’t the lead-off track that it was clearly meant to be.

The upbeat tempos and polished frenzy of “I’m Not Scared” maintain the energetic pace set by “Ghosts,” but “Runaway”, while not a terrible song, is somewhat repetitive and overlong, and muddles the clear trajectory set by the two previous tracks. Fortunately for us, the remainder of Velocifero’s offerings –whether they’re by the books or off the beaten path- are consistently gratifying.

Mira Aroyo’s next contribution, “Season of Illusions,” is a turning point for the album, and a definite stand-out. Aroyo may have enjoyed an increased visibility on Witching Hour, but her role was still largely relegated to playing second fiddle to Helen Marnie. No longer. On Velocifero, Aroyo emerges as an equal, if not the driving force behind the majority of this album’s more memorable songs. “Season of Illusions” pairs a static, snappy backbeat with a shifting arrangement that lends the song a certain vitality, and an exciting aura of melancholic tension. Aroyo’s dynamic vocals (in English this time) build upon Ladytron’s time-honored tradition of feeding their listeners cruel-sounding declarations that go down smooth as sugar - “Obliterate the Sunday/ You’ve been cherishing all week.” Velocifero is chock-full of such one-liners.

“Burning Up,” a Marnie tune, is similarly brooding and defiant, and similarly satisfying as well. “I wrote a protest song about you/I set myself on fire without you/I cheated gravity to chase you” There’s an undeniable gloominess to this portion of the album, and it might dawn on you that instead of getting out on the dance-floor you’d much prefer to sit idly on the sidelines with drink in hand, and simply nod to the beat.

“Kletva” is another Aroyo song featuring her patented Bulgarian vocals. The beginning may remind you of a solemn Nico dirge, but its tone quickly changes to out-and-out elation. The song’s whimsical, wide-eyed vibe feels like totally new ground for Ladytron, as if they’ve somehow become temporarily enchanted. Both the strangeness of the vocals (which at times almost sound as if they’re being played backwards) and the bright chiming synths are oddly endearing. Appropriately enough, “Kletva” is actually a cover of a song borrowed from a Bulgarian children’s movie. Regardless of the song’s authorship, its recording has allowed the band an unprecedented display of joyful spontaneity that feels like a real milestone for them.

“They Gave You A Heart, They Gave You A Name,” is a return to more familiar sonic territory, which almost feels like “classic Ladytron” after the novelty of “Kletva.” The call and response vocals between Marnie and Aroyo are fetching, and it’s a worthwhile song, but Velocifero’s major surprises await.

“Predict The Day” is an immediately recognizable, irrefutable call to get out on the dance floor and shake it - but its methods of doing so aren’t exactly conventional. While the song has a whole-heartedly hip-hop beat (a prime ass-shaking incentive if there ever was one), its main melody is provided through spooky whistling (you heard right, whistling) and features party-startin’ lyrics like, “Predict the day, the nights never ending/A shadow falls, dark on your face.” The song’s atmosphere is bare and echoed, as if each different musical element is floating on the thin air inside some clubbed-out haunted house full of electric purple ghosts. Needless to say, it’s pretty cool. You’ll no doubt remember it, especially more so than some of Velocifero’s other pleasing yet more predictable tracks like “The Lovers,” and “They Gave You A Heart.”

“Deep Blue” features an interesting delayed guitar effect in its intro, which segues into lyrical advances on the part of Aroyo, and a chorus that attests: “Deep blue I want to give it all to you/Deep blue I know that scares you.” The song would feel entirely predatory (excitingly so) if a sweeping violin that’s too sad to be aggressive wasn’t tempering it. Then we have “Tomorrow,” sung by Marnie, which seems to be about running out on a lover while he or she’s still asleep, and that the narrator just may be experiencing a little regret in doing so. “I don’t hate you, or want you, enough to wake you”. They’re still the same old cold-hearted Ladytron, but they’re not inhuman, as they’ve never been – glimmers of longing, affection and regret have always lurked beneath their harsh exteriors. The conflict between their dark and tender sides has played a major part in their success ever since their inception.

Perhaps Velocifero’s biggest surprise is unveiled on its final track, “Versus.” We can immediately discern some acoustic guitar strumming underneath the more standard Ladytron instrumentation. It almost sounds like an Air song, but that’s not to say it sounds derivative. Marnie sings a line or two…(just an acoustic guitar, huh? not much of a surprise, you say), but wait…what’s that I hear? Could it be? It is! Male vocals!! But, but, it’s Ladytron, of course! Who knew such a thing was possible from a band that had effectively muted its male 2/4ths for three consecutive albums and all but the final track of a fourth?! All quasi-sexist stupor aside, this gem of a song must have been a long time coming. I’d go out on a limb and call it Ladytron’s most original song to date.

“Versus” is an honest-to-goodness duet, and the male vocalist is far from clamoring just to be heard, believe you me. Its lyrics are full of charming wordplay and its performance is cleverly phrased. The male vocals are supplied by none other than founding band member Daniel Hunt, whose velvety baritone serves as a perfect counterpoint for Marnie’s airy register. What sound like horns pipe in here and there, and there’s even some more whistling too. It’s hard not to get caught up in it. Considering everything that had come before it, you really don’t expect this song, and that’s partially what makes hearing it the first time so memorable. We’re undoubtedly left wanting more.

So, let’s do the math. Out of 13 songs, 3 or 4 showcase significant innovation to their sound, 7 or 8 tend to refine what Ladytron has always done well, and 1 or 2 are somewhat forgettable. Should you feel disappointed? That Velocifero should have been more than it is? I really don’t think so. Just because their sound has never been radically re-tooled doesn’t mean that they’re complacent musicians. With a casual listen, only a few of Velocifero’s tracks will sound notably different from Ladytron’s previous work (particularly “Predict The Day,” “Kletva,” and “Versus”), but take your time with this “bringer of speed” and let its songs’ richness sink in.

Most of Velocifero’s songs have immediate hooks, but like Witching Hour, this album is a definite grower. Each listen reveals subtle touches and submerged textures that instantly make the songs mature before your ears, building upon the overt cathchiness that initially caught your attention. This is a band that excels in their tweakings, and few others can make such slight deviation from their norms seem as satisfying. At Velocifero’s end we’re left with an incarnation of Ladytron whose inter-band dynamic feels considerably altered from what had come before it, and while they may not have entirely re-invented the wheel, there’s no doubt their components have been rewardingly realigned.

2008, Ladytron

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