Recorded 2007–08 Artist Ladytron Label NETTWERK | Length 54:29 Release date 19 May 2008 | |
 | ||
Released 19 May 2008 (2008-05-19) Studio Studio de la Grande Armée
(Paris, France) Producer Ladytron
Alessandro Cortini
Vicarious Bliss Velocifero
(2008) Live at London Astoria 16.07.08
(2009) Genres Electropop, New wave, Electroclash, Shoegazing, Electro-industrial, Alternative dance Similar Ladytron albums, Electropop albums | ||
Velocifero is the fourth studio album by English electronic music band Ladytron and their first to be released by Nettwerk. The album was made available on the iTunes Store as of 19 May 2008, followed by a physical release on 2 June in the United Kingdom and on 3 June elsewhere. Velocifero peaked at number 75 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the band's second highest-charting album to date in the UK (after Gravity the Seducer reached number 72 in 2011). It was also their first album to chart on the US Billboard 200, reaching number 131.
Contents
According to band member Reuben Wu, "velocifero" literally means "bringer of speed", and is also the name of a classic retro-styled scooter. "Black Cat" and "Kletva" are both sung entirely in Bulgarian. "Kletva" (which means "oath") is a cover of a song from a solo album by Kiril Marichkov of Bulgarian rock band Shturtzite. Daniel Hunt provided additional vocals on "Versus".
Velocifero spawned three singles: "Ghosts", "Runaway" and "Tomorrow".
Ladytron black cat
Singles
"Ghosts" was released as the album's lead single on 12 May 2008. It reached number 106 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was included on the soundtrack to the video games Need for Speed: Undercover, The Sims 2: Apartment Life (Apartment Life featured the song as an instrumental version; both in 2008) The Sims 3 (2009) and LittleBigPlanet 2 (2011), as well as on the soundtrack to the 2009 slasher film Sorority Row. The track was also used in the TV advert for the 2010 Jameson Dublin International Film Festival. A remix of "Ghosts" by New York alternative rap collective Blestenation was released as a free download on 22 August 2008 by RCRD LBL.
"Runaway" was released as the album's second single on 22 September 2008. It was featured in the 2008 video game FIFA 09.
"Tomorrow" was released as the album's third and final single on 2 March 2009.
Reception
Velocifero received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 73, based on 26 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".
Track listing
All tracks written by Ladytron, except where noted.
Note: "Ghosts" (Modwheelmood Mix) was available on iTunes only.
Velocifero (Remixed & Rare)
On 6 April 2010, Nettwerk released a compilation of remixes, B-sides and rarities titled Velocifero (Remixed & Rare). The cover is the based on the black and white stripes artwork of the single "Runaway".
Songs
1Black Cat5:09
2Ghosts4:43
3I'm Not Scared3:58