Times Arrow

Ladytron couldnt have chosen a better title for their seventh album than Times Arrow. The future becoming the past becoming the future again is a familiar cycle to them: When the band started in the late 90s, they evoked synth pops first heyday in the 80s; more than 20 years later, their music still sounded fresh. In the best possible way, Ladytrons triumphant self-titled 2019 album felt like it recombined their body of work with a pleasant sense of deja vu. On Times Arrow, they imbue their music with bittersweet commentary, expressing the tricks that nostalgia and memories play on the heart and mind with songs that seem to stop time in its tracks. They still echo themselves, albeit more subtly, as they create illusions of permanence like "City of Angels," which channels the eternal summer of Los Angeles with a heavy throb and intricate layers of synths and vocals akin to Witching Hours "Sugar," or "We Never Went Away," which could almost pass for a slower reincarnation of Light & Magics "Blue Jeans." However, the expansive passages, stately tempos, and thematic cohesion of Times Arrow may be most closely linked to Gravity the Seducer, and Ladytrons willingness to slow down and reflect makes for some standout moments. "Misery Remember Me" captures the need to be remembered, and the inevitability of being forgotten, with glassy guitars and soaring vocals that would do the Cure and Cocteau Twins proud. On "The Dreamers," Ladytron make the most of their flair for apocalyptic romance, crafting a slow dance while the world burns. The emphasis on mood leads to gorgeously drifting moments such as "The Night," but whenever Times Arrow seems like it might get swept away entirely, the band anchors it with quintessential synth pop like "Faces" or the title track, which brings the album to a close with a sardonic memento mori. With Ladytron, the band proved they could more than hold their own with the like-minded acts who sprang up in their wake. The thought and skill they put into Times Arrow, however, could only come from years of perspective and experience. ~ Heather Phares

エレクトロクラッシュを思い出すたびに20年間ずっと〈80sブーム〉とか言ってる状況に何かを感じなくもないが、ムーヴメントの煌めきに消えていった面々を惜しむとして、レディトロンの名前をそこに含める必要はない。活動休止を経た再結集作『Ladytron』(2019年)ぶりに届いた7枚目のアルバムでも彼らは絶好調。シューゲイズやインダストリアルなどをダークなひと匙で攪拌したエレクトロ・ポップは野心的なビートで満たされている。
bounce (C)轟ひろみ