ladytron provokes disinterested dancing: you know, the kind where you stand in the darker corner of the club, against the wall, and slightly move your upper body back and forth while sneering at everyone else because you're so high on coke.

If your new just figuring out what electroclash is or if you are a fan of the genre Ladytron's 604 is a great album packed with great beats catchy songs and interesting harmonies. With 80's instruments and modern production techniques the band is able to sound retro and futuristic at the same time. Overall the sound is fun although many of the tracks have a bit of a goth sentiment to them using the darker Eastern European vocals of Mira and the softer tones of Helaine. The band actually formed in a peculiar way when the two guys in the band met Mira in Bulgaria while DJing and then Helaine joined as they were recording their first singe "He took her to a Movie".

This track is actually on this album twice and while it does have quite an effect it is a rather simple song that is not nearly as developed ad many of the other tracks. This album is a certain must have is you are a fan of `80s music or if you want something that is truly cool. This album will quickly get under your skin and it will certainly become a favorite.

Ted Murena

Ladytron does a good job trying to fuse post-Beck nerd-funk with kraftwerkian krautrock. Loose, almost sloppy grooves blend with fat vintage synthesizers and a jet-age style. Helena Marnie's childlike vocals for some reason conjour up images of a bored airline hostess on one of 2001's interplanetary shuttles.

The downside of this album is that the really great tracks often drown among the weird experimental "jam-session" tracks and self-conscious retro feel. "Commodore Rock" is a bit repetative, "CSKA Sofia" is quite repetative, while "ZMEYKA" is jarring with its screechy violin. "He Took Her To a Movie" is so krautrock-retro (right down to the droll vocal delivery) you can sing the lyrics to Kraftwerk's "The Model" along.

Luckily, there are tracks like "Discotraxx", "Ladybird" and "Paco!" that are so catchy you can't help but sing along. It's the same sort of effect as a Bis album, except lacking in the teen elements.

...although I might be wrong because I haven't had a chance to get Witching Hour yet. I think their debut is the best as I got this one after "Light & Magic". Songs on "Light & Magic" have the redundancy of getting boring often although it's still a nice album to hear every once in a while. I don't know, I think they made their best effort on their debut. All the tracks seems worth hearing and all of them seem different and eccentric. I would say that this is best Ladytron album to get into for a first time listener. Awesome british sounding chick vox with dancy (sometimes chimey) beats! Must have!

"604" remains one of my favorite albums in the electronica subgenre of "electroclash". This music features retro, simplistic beats and often a bored-sounding female vocalist. As you can imagine from that description, a lot of electroclash doesn't stand up well to repeated listenings, but "604" is definitely an exception. The music is catchy without being too repetitive, aside from a track or two where I am just starting to think, "this has gone on too long" when the track ends. My favorite tracks are "Discotraxx" and "The Way That I Found You," but the whole album is pretty solid.

Ladytron have a great retro-futuristic vibe to their music--it sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie where everyone wears fabulous costumes and sits in bubble chairs. I suggest this music to add a sophisticated touch to any party, to listen to while driving, or to get inspiration while trying to design your new space-ace bachelor pad.