Monday 16/05/05 Ladytron @ Academy 2, Manchester

The small venue’s stuffy air vibrates from Ladytron’s killer sparkle- electro tunes and pretty poker faces at the Manchester University Student union. Having walked on stage it becomes clear the band have got rid of the un-sexy black boiler suits and have intead opted for "just popping to a funeral" outfits. Mira plays with the crowd with the fixed stare of a cat who knows something you don’t as she utters into her microphone. And Helen, (Is she wearing an Egyptian wig?) takes the lead in singing with ultra feminine girl child conviction. Androgynous Danny wearing a black velvet choker and Reuben with cravat look down at their instruments thoughtfully in the background. One thing's for sure, don’t expect to watch a band having a good time. Instead, their arsey and elusive demeanour transfixes the crowd and seething and menacing fun comes out in the synth sound waves. Blasting through their old tunes from ‘604’ , the sexual tension fest of ‘He Took Her to a Movie’ and ‘Playgirl’  the crowd are won over emphatically.

The sound from the band’s new album 'Witching Hour' released in August,  is strikingly more energetically charged than before with a rock sound throbbing against their old 80s synths sound.  It’s denser and heavier but with playful and catchy vocal melodic hooks such as on the new single ‘Sugar’.  Ladytron seem to have developed their Kraftwerk and New Order influence to taking heed to some other kind of strange influences sounding reminiscent of the weird Add N to (X). Occasionally, it all felt a bit tiring to watch the ‘cold coquettes’ and listen to the intense, strict style of sound and the hypnotising black and white visuals whirling behind them. Ladytron’s contribution to electro music though, this summer should disturb the music scene like a stylish white light in the darkness flashing in your face.