A few years ago, while on a pleasure trip to San Francisco, my girlfriend and I had the pleasure of catching a DJ set by Daniel Hunt of Ladytron at a fancy little wine bar and art gallery. The prospect of hearing Hunt on the turntables was exciting for not only the great music he creates, but also for his admirable taste, which was documented on the Softcore Jukebox release, on which the Ladytroners put forth a collection of their own favorite tunes. Having arrived at the bar and enjoyed a couple of beers in a cozy corner, we decided to venture outside for a smoke before Hunt's set; we asked the guy next to us to watch our stuff, he smiled and said he would be glad to. After returning to our seats we talked for a bit with the nice chap who had watched our bags, and then quietly continued drinking. A few minutes passed and then the music began, but rather than move from the corner we decided to stay seated and just enjoy the music and our drinks. Later in the evening it came time for another smoke break and, having found another person to keep an eye on our stuff, we went out, and on our way out the door we happened to look at the DJ booth, and there, behind the turntables, was Daniel Hunt, the guy who had been nice enough to watch our belongings an hour earlier.

Not only are the Liverpudlians of Ladytron nice people, they're also great songwriters. Upon it's release in 2001 their debut full-length, 604, was met with a wide range of critical praise and has since been credited as one of the harbingers of the electronic movement that has since swept mainstream rock bands. On each of their subsequent releases, the band have pushed themselves to further develop and refine their craft, and Velocifero is the quartet's fourth full-length album; seven years after it began, the Ladytron sound is stronger than ever.

With songs like "Ghosts," "I'm Not Scared," and "Burning Up" all loaded into its first half, Velocifero quickly establishes itself as a rival to 604 as the band's best album. The songs are catchy as hell, and they dive deep into the group's collective discography, surfacing with inspiration from My Bloody Valentine and The Fall, as well as a more contemporary club sound. It's a pleasant return to the sounds of 604, updated with a little pinch of the Northern soul that was first be heard on 2005's Witching Hour.

There are so many things to like about Ladytron; the awesome songs, their desire to continually refine their sound, the great hair, and of course Daniel Hunt's willingness to watch strangers' bags. Velocifero features some mighty fine songs, at least a few of which are bound to receive major attention through summer and fall. The album embodies the highlights of the band's past work, and is imbued with the progressiveness that has made each successive Ladytron release a step above its predecessor.