- Audio CD (2 Dec 2002)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: CD
- Label: Telstar
- ASIN: B00007FCZQ
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 79,386 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
Jubilee Offer: Patriot Classics for £2.50 |
Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. True Mathematics |
| 2. Seventeen |
| 3. Flicking Your Switch |
| 4. Fire |
| 5. Turn It On |
| 6. Blue Jeans |
| 7. Cracked LCD |
| 8. Black Plastic |
| 9. Evil |
| 10. Start Up Chime |
| 11. Nu Horizons |
| 12. Cease2exist |
| 13. Re:agents |
| 14. Light & Magic |
| 15. The Reason Why |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
How does Light & Magic follow a record like 604?--On their last album, arch synth-popsters Ladytron were early if unwilling exponents of the sound now known as electroclash. Scene luminary Felix Da Housecat declared it the best electronic record he'd heard since The Human League's Dare and it certainly shared something of the same tuneful naivety. But where now for these silicon teens? Back to where they started it seems, because for all intents and purposes things remain fairly static on the musical front and there's little sign of progression in the songwriting. Keen to push their under-produced drone of buzzing analogue keyboards, biscuit-tin drum machines and "foreign spy" vocals to the max, the band unfortunately forgot to add any tunes. Sometimes its works, like the cute and eminently likable "Seventeen", but for every sequenced rumble passing itself off as retro Eurotrash there are too many motorik dirges to deal with, plus the sort of half-formed melodies no amount of ironic backing vocals can hide. Shame. --Paul Tierney
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Having just read the duff first review of this fantastic second album CD release from Ladytron I felt compelled to write something.
I dont know if the first reviewer actually listened to this album because, apart from NuHorizons (and - OK - True Mathematics is not too hot but luckily it only lasts a couple of minutes and is a sort of "Intro" anyway) this album is qute simply superb.
Its a whole lot slicker than their last release 604 and none the worse for it. It hangs together as a cohesive album of tracks,unlike 604 which seemed more like a (slightly too long) compilation of work although certainly having its great moments. Standout tracks are Seventeen, Turn It On, Light & Magic, Blue Jeans, Cease2Exist, Fire....I could go on,this album is VERY consistent.
Ladytron really deserve a wider audience. This is one of those albums that sounds as if they spent a lot of time on the songwriting and it's worked. This, currently is the best Retro-Futurist CD around.
Resistance is futile........
I dont know if the first reviewer actually listened to this album because, apart from NuHorizons (and - OK - True Mathematics is not too hot but luckily it only lasts a couple of minutes and is a sort of "Intro" anyway) this album is qute simply superb.
Its a whole lot slicker than their last release 604 and none the worse for it. It hangs together as a cohesive album of tracks,unlike 604 which seemed more like a (slightly too long) compilation of work although certainly having its great moments. Standout tracks are Seventeen, Turn It On, Light & Magic, Blue Jeans, Cease2Exist, Fire....I could go on,this album is VERY consistent.
Ladytron really deserve a wider audience. This is one of those albums that sounds as if they spent a lot of time on the songwriting and it's worked. This, currently is the best Retro-Futurist CD around.
Resistance is futile........
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Unfortunately for Ladytron they seem to have been lumped into the style over substance club scence of elektroklash/synthcore. However, unlike musical poseurs such as Miss Kittin, Felix Da Housecat and Fischerspooner, Ladytron actually have musical ability and talent, that is more pop/rock based than dance/club influenced.
Whilst their retro synths and European ice cool vocals do come from an age when Human League were biggest band in the country and Blade Runner was the film to see, there's enough of a 21st Centrury influence to make this strangely appealing and satisfying, in a dark and trashy way.
Musically they have come on leaps and bounds since their debut '604', with the songs sounding more developed and fully realised. Of course, you do wonder where they can move on to after this, but it wouldn't surprise me if they followed the same kind of career path as former Synth Gods Depeche Mode and New Order, and add more rockier elements to their sound in the future.
But for now, "Light and Magic" is an entertaining and seductive piece of electropop in 2003. If so called credible bands can rip off grunge and punk at the moment, why shouldn't Ladytron recreate the electro era of the early eighties?
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I first heard Ladytron two years ago when I saw their video for the single "Play Girl", from their amazing 604 album. Since then I have been besotted and getting my hands on this album in September 2002 was the best thing I did all year.
I was interested how Ladytron could follow up such a magnificent debut album, they had laid down their style and it's hard to see how they were going to develop. Ladytrons' answer was simple: More of the same but with even more addictive tunes.
The opening track from Light and Magic; "True Mathematics" is an infectious fuzz electronic bass/pop synth/electro-guitar hook which leads you into this album with hypnotic effect.
The first single "seventeen" follows majestically at track 2, and is quite simply a perfect slice of electro-pop with stunning melodies, poignent sultry vocals and sparse bleak solos. Capturing perfect melodies is a Ladytron trait and this song is one of many high points on this superb "tricky" second album.
"Flicking Your Switch" is in a similar melodic vein but is more power pop and could potentially be a club classic should anyone decide to pluck it from the album and re-mix it. It sounds like a lost early 90's rave track produced by Kraftwerk.
Other notable tracks are "Turn It On" (power bass, sweeping keyboard hook, robotic vocals), "Black Plastic" (80's bassline combining to a creschendo with superply layered keyboard components and lazy vocals) and the trademark off-note, anthemic, power simplicity of "Cease To Exist".
Overall the album is a triumph, all the tracks have a certain edge over any electronica album you may have heard in the last ten years. What I love about this band, and more noteably on this album is the cold, icy feel of the chosen sounds. Ladytron have the amazing ability of producing excitingly layered pop melodies whilst creating a vast sense of sparcity and isolation. This album is infectious and Ladytron have surely redrawn the boundaries and set a new precedent for electronic pop music. Although you may feel that you are familiar to every track on this album, you will go back to this album time and time again with a satisfied sensation that you have never heard anything like it before. It could well be the only album you ever want to hear.
P.W.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
alright
the cover didn't fit properly, but thats no big deal, it was cheap, fast delivered and the cd looked brand new
Published 20 months ago by mmijare
Not as hardcore as 604 but just as every bit brilliant!
I can't see to understand why anyone would want to knock this album, just because 604 was a hard act to follow, doesn't mean Light and magic cant compete. Read more
Published on 13 May 2006 by W. Ashton
Amazon is spot - weak second record
Just a quick review to say that I completely agree with Paul Tierney's assessment for Amazon above. Read more
Published on 21 Jan 2005 by "scottb588"
The missing link between Propaganda and Add N To (X)
Ladytron are four keyboard players/ composers based in Liverpool who formed in 1998, and comprise Mira Aroyo who is Bulgarian (one track, NuHorizons, is sung in her native tongue)... Read more
Published on 18 Nov 2004 by Laurence Upton
Could only be Ladytron
Another vote here for the erasure of the Amazon review for this album. It's way out of order. Light and Magic could only be Ladytron. Read more
Published on 25 Oct 2004
No no no, don't knock this! This is AWESOME
Light and magic is so absolutely great and is every bit as good a 604. You igore those horrid people who don't like this they are wrong. WRONG. Read more
Published on 20 Mar 2004
A worthy sequel to 604
Could 604 as a debut album be topped? Yes and no. 604 was one
of 90s electronic music's defining moments and has the measure of true greatness. Read more
of 90s electronic music's defining moments and has the measure of true greatness. Read more
Published on 1 July 2003 by sonik57
A bit disappointed
604 was ace and this one proves it's not easy to get it perfectly right twice in a row. Tracks 2 and 4 are excellent, the rest is so-so. Shame. Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2003 by superBOB
Not mindblowing but incredibly good!
Mmmmm Ladytron! Remembering those halcyon days of Playgirl (one of the greatest tunes EVER) is enough to bring a tear to my eye, and so finally seeing Light & Magic in my local... Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2003 by Mr. LJ Morris
My Album Of The Week...
I just got this CD for Christmas after hearning the track 'Seventeen' on MTV2 a few weeks back. It's a great record, and one that you really should be listening to. Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2002
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