A Weekend with Ladytron and The Faint

By Veronica Murtagh in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 2, 2009 7:45PM

The current electronic music climate is in a unique place. New acts are booking entire tours and playing major music festivals before the release of a debut album. Critics and fans alike have begun to call foul on music bloggers, claiming them responsible for over-hyping every act that PR agencies send their way and breeding a music culture where being new takes precedence over being established. It seems we've long forgotten a time when electronic groups were successful based on talent, not press.

Formed in Liverpool, electronic pop group Ladytron have been making waves for a decade with their lush electronic compositions, breathy vocals and an uncanny knack for perfectly merging the dreamy and the dark. Ladytron's debut album, 604, released in 2001 was a welcome new obsession for those of us mourning the downturn of britpop. Ladytron's sound only became more mature in their three subsequent releases, gaining a devoted fanbase worldwide. Ladytron's most recent release, last year's Velocifero, was their most successful album to date. Supported widely by music bloggers, Velocifero was co-produced by Vicarious Bliss, whom you may know from his home on Ed Banger Records alongside every electronic music blogger's favorite (or least favorite) production duo, Justice.

Before DFA Records and Franz Ferdinand, there was The Faint. The Omaha, Nebraska based, new wave influenced rockers put dance punk on the map with the cult success of 1999's Blank Wave Arcade. The Faint would go on to release three consecutive albums, most recently Fasciinatiion, the first album to see the band leaving their long time imprint Saddle Creek to form their own label, blank.wav. The Geeks Were Right, the lead single from 2008's Fasciinatiion, was released through electro imprint and blogger darlings, Boys Noize Records.

It's easy to find fault in the practice of creating overnight stars from unknown acts, but groups like The Faint and Ladytron illustrate the positive union that can be formed when blog buzz embraces established talent.

Ladytron and The Faint with Telepathe and Figo tomorrow, April 3, at Metro, 3730 N Clark, Doors 8 p.m., $25, 18+

Ladytron and The Faint with Telepathe and Figo Saturday, April 4, at Metro, 3730 N Clark, Doors 5:30 p.m., $25, All Ages

Illustrations via Ladytron and The Faint's myspace pages