Light & Magic
Encyclopedia
Light & Magic is the second studio album
by English electronic
band Ladytron
. It was released on 17 September 2002 by Telstar Records
in the United Kingdom and by Emperor Norton in the USA. The album was reissued by Nettwerk
in January 2011. Light & Magic featured a darker sound and the introduction of digital synthesizer
s along their analog gear.
An earlier version of the song "NuHorizons" appeared as a B-side to the band's 2001 single "The Way That I Found You", under the title "Holiday 601".
"Seventeen
" is part of the soundtrack to the 2003 film Party Monster, while its instrumental was used in television advertisements for Christina Aguilera
's 2008 fragrance Inspire
.
Drowned in Sound
included Light & Magic at number 14 on its Top 41 Albums of the Year.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by English electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
band Ladytron
Ladytron
Ladytron are an English electronic band formed in 1999 in Liverpool, Merseyside. The group consists of Helen Marnie , Mira Aroyo , Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu .Their sound blends electropop with New Wave and shoegazing elements. Ladytron described their sound as "electronic pop"...
. It was released on 17 September 2002 by Telstar Records
Telstar Records
Telstar Records was a record label founded in 1982 by Sean O'Brien and Neil Palmer with a government loan of £120,000. It was founded as a specialist compilation marketing label and had hits with a range of compilation franchises such as the Deep Heat, Kaos Theory and 100% ranges...
in the United Kingdom and by Emperor Norton in the USA. The album was reissued by Nettwerk
Nettwerk
The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
in January 2011. Light & Magic featured a darker sound and the introduction of digital synthesizer
Digital synthesizer
A digital synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses digital signal processing techniques to make musical sounds.Electronic keyboards make music through sound waves.-History:...
s along their analog gear.
An earlier version of the song "NuHorizons" appeared as a B-side to the band's 2001 single "The Way That I Found You", under the title "Holiday 601".
"Seventeen
Seventeen (Ladytron song)
"Seventeen" is the first single from the album Light & Magic by the music group Ladytron. A new version "Seventeen 05", made by the band, featured on "Destroy Everything You Touch" single.-Maxi CD, UK:# "Seventeen" – 4:41...
" is part of the soundtrack to the 2003 film Party Monster, while its instrumental was used in television advertisements for Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
's 2008 fragrance Inspire
Inspire (fragrance)
Inspire was Christina Aguilera's fourth Women's fragrance to be released worldwide, however only the first perfume to be released from the singer-songwriter in the United States. The perfume was created with Procter & Gamble and endorsed with Aguilera. The tagline for the fragrance was "Follow Your...
.
Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
included Light & Magic at number 14 on its Top 41 Albums of the Year.
Track listing
All songs written by Ladytron.- "True Mathematics" – 2:23
- "SeventeenSeventeen (Ladytron song)"Seventeen" is the first single from the album Light & Magic by the music group Ladytron. A new version "Seventeen 05", made by the band, featured on "Destroy Everything You Touch" single.-Maxi CD, UK:# "Seventeen" – 4:41...
" – 4:37 - "Flicking Your Switch" – 3:26
- "Fire" – 2:49
- "Turn It On" – 4:46
- "Blue JeansBlue Jeans (Ladytron song)"Blue Jeans" is the second single from the album Light & Magic by the music group Ladytron. A rockier version titled "Blue Jeans 2.0" featured on the mix compilation Softcore Jukebox.-CD single:# "Blue Jeans" - 3:46...
" – 4:13 - "Cracked LCD" – 2:32
- "Black Plastic" – 4:17
- "EvilEvil (Ladytron song)"Evil" is the third single from the album Light & Magic by the electronic music group Ladytron. It was released in 2003 and reached a position of #44 on the UK Singles Chart.-CD 1 single:#"Evil" – 4:13#"Oops " – 2:50...
" – 5:34 - "Startup Crime" – 3:30
- "NuHorizons" – 4:03
- "Cease2xist" – 4:37
- "Re:agents" – 4:53
- "Light & Magic" – 3:35
- "The Reason Why" – 7:30 (silence from 4:13 until 5:17, followed by hidden track "USA vs. White Noise"; available only on initial non-US pressings)
Re-release bonus tracks
- "Seventeen" (SoulwaxSoulwaxSoulwax, headed by David and Stephen Dewaele, are an alternative rock/electronic band from Ghent, Belgium. Next to the Dewaele brothers, Soulwax consists of bassist Stefaan Van Leuven and drummer Steve Slingeneyer. They were first noticed after the release of their album Much Against Everyone's...
Remix) – 4:26 - "Cracked LCD" (Live in SofiaSofiaSofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
) – 2:55 - "Light & Magic" (Live in Sofia) – 3:23
- "Evil" (Pop LeviPop LeviPop Levi is an English singer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and filmmaker. Pop Levi's career started in Liverpool. He was the founding member, along with Snap Ant and Loka, of Super Numeri, and has played bass for Ladytron both on record and on tour...
Mix) – 3:13 (2004 edition only) - "Blue Jeans" (Josh WinkJosh WinkJosh Wink is an electronic music DJ, label owner, producer, remixer, and artist. He is a native of Philadelphia, United States. A pioneering DJ in the American rave scene during the early 1990s, Wink was the most prominent exponent of the tribal forms of techno and house in the U.S...
Remix) – 6:04 (2011 NettwerkNettwerkThe Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
edition only)
Light & Magic (Remixed & Rare)
- "Seventeen" (Soulwax Remix) – 4:28
- "Blue Jeans 2.0" (UK Single Version) – 3:51
- "Evil" (Axl of Evil Mix) – 4:08
- "Blue Jeans" (Josh Wink Remix) – 6:05
- "The Reason Why" (Alternate Version) – 4:24
- "Light & Magic" (Alternate Version) – 3:42
- "Cracked LCD" (Alternate Version) – 2:49
- "Seventeen" (Justin RobertsonJustin RobertsonJustin Robertson is a British DJ, remixer and electronic music producer from Manchester, England. He has remixed dozens of high-profile music artists as himself or as The Prankster, fronted the group Lionrock and has released albums and singles of original music under his own name and the name...
Remix) – 7:06 - "Blue Jeans" (InterpolInterpol (band)Interpol is an American indie rock and post-punk revival band from New York City. Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks , Daniel Kessler , Carlos Dengler and Greg Drudy . Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino...
Remix) – 3:57 - "Evil" (Ewan PearsonEwan PearsonEwan Pearson is an English electronic music producer/remixer who works under various aliases including Maas, Sulky Pup, Villa America, World of Apples, and Dirtbox. He is also in Partial Arts with Al Usher. He has remixed for artists such as Cortney Tidwell, Seelenluft, Ladytron, Depeche Mode,...
Single Remix) – 4:15 - "Seventeen" (Droyds 12 Remix) – 6:32
- "Flicking Your Switch" (Mount SimsMount SimsMount Sims is the stage name of Matthew Sims, a Berlin-based American DJ, performance artist, producer and musician. Starting Mount Sims as a purely electronic music act, later releases have also shown influences from post punk, new wave and darkwave...
Remix 1) – 5:24 - "Seventeen" (Darren EmersonDarren EmersonDarren Emerson is a dance music DJ, and former member of the UK electronic music outfit, Underworld.-Career:Emerson began mixing Hip-Hop records at the age of 14, and by 16 was DJing regularly at local venues...
Radio Edit) – 3:33 - "Evil" (Tony Senghorne Remix) – 8:09
- "Cease2xist" (Instrumental 2002) – 4:48
- "Start Up Chime" (Instrumental) – 3:42
- "Evil" (M-Factor187 Lockdown187 Lockdown was a British speed garage act, comprising Danny Harrison and Julian Jonah. The duo produced one album, with four singles released from it, and remixed many songs towards the end of the 1990s....
Remix) – 7:55 - "Seventeen" (Acapella) – 4:45
Personnel
- Ladytron – art directionArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
- Helen MarnieHelen MarnieHelen Marnie is a member of the electronic music band Ladytron. She sings the majority of Ladytron's songs, with Mira Aroyo providing vocals on some songs or singing simultaneously with Helen on others.Helen also plays keyboards during Ladytron's live shows Helen Marnie (born in 1978 in Glasgow,...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Mira AroyoMira AroyoMira Aroyo , born in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1977, and now living in London, is a member of the electropop band Ladytron. She is also keyboardist, songwriter and producer. She writes and sings her songs for Ladytron in her native Bulgarian as well as in English....
– vocals, keyboards - Daniel HuntDaniel HuntDaniel Hunt is the founder member, and principal songwriter/producer of the band Ladytron. He is a keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter and producer. He also DJ's around the world both solo and with other band members...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, keyboards, electronic drumElectronic drumAn electronic drum is an electronic synthesizer which mimics an acoustic drum kit.The electronic drum usually consists of a set of pads mounted on a stand in a disposition similar to an acoustic drum kit. The pads are discs with a rubber or cloth-like coating. Each pad has a sensor which generates...
s - Reuben WuReuben WuReuben Wu is a British musician and member of the electropop band Ladytron. His role in the band is keyboardist, songwriter and producer. He's also an accomplished photographer and a DJ....
– keyboards, electronic drums - Big Active – designGraphic designGraphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
, art direction - Tom Dolan – design, art direction (US edition)
- Matt Fausak – assistant engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Michael Fitzpatrick – additional engineer, additional programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
- William Howard – US cover photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. – additional keyboards
- Justin Meldal-JohnsenJustin Meldal-JohnsenJustin Meldal-Johnsen is an American musician and bassist, best known for his work with Grammy Award-winning artist Beck. He served as the touring bassist for Nine Inch Nails during their final tours.-Recording career:...
– electric bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Donald Milne – photography
- Mickey Petralia – additional producer, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Shari – backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(track 2) - Aleks Tamulis – assistant engineer
Charts
Chart (2002) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Top Electronic Albums | 7 |
US Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
31 |
US Top Independent Albums Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
24 |
Release history
Country | Date | Label | Edition |
---|---|---|---|
United States | 17 September 2002 | Emperor Norton Emperor Norton Records Emperor Norton Records, was a Los Angeles-based electronica, hip-hop, and dance-music record label. Among the artists featured on the label were Ladytron, Arling & Cameron, Money Mark, Ugly Duckling, and Fantastic Plastic Machine... |
Standard |
United Kingdom | 17 September 2002 | Telstar Telstar Records Telstar Records was a record label founded in 1982 by Sean O'Brien and Neil Palmer with a government loan of £120,000. It was founded as a specialist compilation marketing label and had hits with a range of compilation franchises such as the Deep Heat, Kaos Theory and 100% ranges... |
|
Germany | 7 April 2003 | Warner Music Warner Music Group Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies... |
|
Japan | 21 June 2003 | Victor Entertainment Victor Entertainment is a subsidiary of Japan Victor Company that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It was formerly known as... |
|
United States | 20 July 2004 | Emperor Norton | Re-release |
Germany | 1 September 2009 | Redbird Redbird Records Redbird Records is an independent record label founded by the pop punk band Ludo. In October 2006, Ludo signed a five-album deal with Island Records that turned Redbird Records into an Island Records imprint... , Cobraside |
Light & Magic (Remixed & Rare) (digital only) |
United Kingdom | |||
United States | |||
Germany | 14 January 2011 | Nettwerk Nettwerk The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg... |
Re-release |
United States | 18 January 2011 | ||
United Kingdom | 24 January 2011 |