‘Velocifero’ is the fourth studio album from electronic rock pioneers Ladytron and is their most accomplished album to date.

Opener ‘Black Cat’ is accompanied by a buzz saw bass and pounding, distorted kick/snare cadence with Mira’s vocals – sung in her native Bulgarian – echoing the track’s foreboding sentiment. Traces of Ennio Morricone appear on ‘Ghosts’, while ‘Kletva’, a cover from a 1970’s children’s film, turns a simple shuffle groove into a swirling mix of drums and keys. An inspired collaboration with Columbian group Somekong on ‘The Lovers’ adds even more dramatic timing and energy.

It’s this diversified, rhythmic palette and labyrinthine layering of effects and synths that galvanizes ‘Velocifero’, which meanders through a swath of emotion, from sentient and blissful (‘Tomorrow’) to forthright and impassioned (‘Deep Blue’). ‘Predict The Day’, which begins with a faint, whistled melody and crescendos into a bounce rock onslaught of programmed hi hats, background vocals and jagged guitar, typifies the album’s graceful charge against the status quo.

‘Velicifero’ fully transcends the confines of electro pop with a fresh injection of distorted soul. Mira and Helen, whose disparate vocal styles already provide considerable depth, have evolved both as musicians and songwriters, lending provocative harmonies to songs such as ‘Runaway’ and ‘I’m Not Scared’

And what of the album title? “It’s just a word rather than a translation” says Reuben, “Velocifero’ literally means ‘bringer of speed’”. The album title came about during a meeting with Brazilian born installation artist Eli Sudbrack, the mastermind behind the art collective Assume Vivid Astro Focus that created the artwork for the album.

Recorded in Paris, ‘Velocifero’ was produced by Ladytron with additional production from Vicarious Bliss of Ed Banger Records (Justice, DJ Mehdi, Busy P) and Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails). The album was mixed by Michael Patterson (Beck, P. Diddy) ‘Velocifero’ is the follow up to the band’s 2005 release ‘Witching Hour’, with which Ladytron toured the world for nearly two years, both as headliners and as support for acts such as Nine Inch Nails and the Chemical Brothers.

Ladytron - Helen Marnie, Mira Aroyo, Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu – are planning a worldwide tour for the remainder of 2008 and into 2009. They will play a number of shows in the UK and mainland Europe prior to the release of the album before heading off to North America for a 30+ date tour with new labelmates Datarock in support.