Against the logic of the algorithm.
The quartet talks about Paradisesan ambitious album that is committed to complete listening in times of immediacy.
In an era where songs get shorter and albums seem designed for the algorithm, Ladytron bet on the opposite. With Paradisestheir eighth studio album, the band returns with an extensive and cohesive work that demands complete listening. Between intense rehearsals, new songs and the return to the stage, the group reflects on their creative process, the reception of the album and the place that music occupies today in an industry dominated by platforms, metrics and immediate consumption.
Indie Rocks!: Congratulations on the new album. How excited are you?
Ladytron: Pretty excited, yes. Last week we played our first warm-up shows for the tour, so we've been rehearsing a lot and learning the new songs. It's been a pretty intense month, so now we're back home, relaxing a bit.
And also enjoying how the album is being received. Every day we get something new, a review or comment, and we really feel that people are connecting with this album and understanding it.
GO!: It is their eighth studio album, they are already used to releasing albums, but there is always something different. Do you feel like people are really getting it?
L: It seems so. Obviously not everyone is going to understand it, or maybe not right away, because it's a long album. It's actually like a double album; In another era it would have been called that.
But what we've seen in the last few days is that when people give the album time, when they let it breathe a little, the reviews that are coming out now understand it much more than the first ones. Sure, it's all subjective, but it seems to be being well received.
It also has to do with the mood of the disk. People seem to appreciate that we're living in tough times, and it's nice to put on an album that, on a basic level, makes you feel good.
GO!: Yes, it's like sailing through choppy waters and feeling like the music has to respond to that, but it's also refreshing to disconnect a little.
L: Exactly, we're just doing our job.
GO!: Helen, how do you feel about Paradises Now that they are taking it to the stage?
L: Yes, as I said Danielwe did these warm-up shows a week ago. Time passes very quickly. There were three concerts.
I was a little nervous, I think we all were, which is healthy. We hadn't toured for about a year and we also rehearsed many new songs from the album.
I thought: “Am I going to do it well? How is it going to sound live? Is it going to work?” All those things go through your head. But I was very happy with how those shows turned out.
Two were sold out and another almost sold out, and I felt like people responded really well to the new songs. When that happens, it makes you want to do more. It was like a taste of what's to come.
GO!: The process of releasing a record and going on tour hasn't changed in 20 years, but this album seems different in that sense.
L: Yes, before everything was very divided: you toured, you rested and then you thought about a new album.
This time we started working on the album before finishing the previous tour. The process started two and a half years ago, we were still on tour when we started writing.
In fact, I think we started right after the last time we played in Mexico.
And something interesting is that this album was written from scratch. Normally you always have ideas or songs accumulated, but here everything was born in the same period, so everything sounds more cohesive.
GO!: Is it your longest album so far? There are 16 songs.
L: Yes, it lasts like 73 minutes. In the '80s, an album was 35 minutes long, so this is basically a double album.
We believe that there is no such thing as an album that is “too long”. It just means you have more music to listen to. Maybe you'll discover the second half later.
It works in one listen, but you can also think of it as two eight-song records. “Metaphysics” It would be like the beginning of the second part.
GO!: That helps a lot to understand the structure.
L: Yes, you have a prologue, which is “I Believe In You“, and an epilogue, “For A Life In London”. AND “Metaphysics” works like a reintroduction.
GO!: They have come to Mexico several times in recent years. Do you plan to return soon?
L: Yes, definitely. As you say, we play in 2023 and 2024, so it hasn't been that long.
We always have a great time in Mexico, so we want to return as soon as possible. Maybe this new album is the excuse to do his own show like headliners.
GO!: We have seen that they play a lot at festivals.
L: Yes, it depends on the logistics. We prefer our own shows and the public too, but sometimes it's a festival. Hopefully we can do both.
GO!: Last questions. With the streamingEverything is measured in numbers. Are you thinking about competing against your own classic songs like “Seventeen” or “Destroy Everything You Touch”?
L: I don't think about it much, but I think it will happen. Eventually there will be a new song that tops them.
“Seventeen” It wasn't always the biggest, it grew thanks to TikTok. Before it was “Destroy Everything You Touch.”
It also depends on the platform. For example, in Apple Music we saw that the new album dominated the top 10 more than in Spotify. It's funny how algorithms work.
You're a little at their mercy. And there is no point in competing with the past.
But something we did like was entering the top 10 of the chart official in the United Kingdom, the one of real sales. For us that is still “the true chart”.
GO!: Of course, people buying the album.
L: Exact. That means commitment. Not just give play and skip songs.
In the end, you're only as good as your most recent work. You can't live from the past.
And we are very confident with this album. It may be our best album. There is no definitive answer, but during the process we felt that way.
And hearing that people and reviews perceive it the same is validating. You're not supposed to make your best album after so long, but sometimes it happens.
GO!: Thank you very much for your time and congratulations for Paradises. We hope to see you back soon.
Ladytron: Thanks to you. Thank you so much.
