Light & Magic is the second studio album by English electronic music band Ladytron. It was released in the United States on 17 September 2002 by Emperor Norton and in the United Kingdom on 2 December 2002 by Telstar Records. The album has been reissued multiple times, most recently by Nettwerk in January 2011.

Light & Magic
Studio album by
Released17 September 2002 (2002-09-17)
Recorded2001–2002; Liverpool and Los Angeles
Genre
Length62:45
Language
  • English
  • Bulgarian
LabelTelstar
Producer
Ladytron chronology
604
(2001)
Light & Magic
(2002)
Softcore Jukebox
(2003)
Alternative cover
US and reissue cover
US and reissue cover
Singles from Light & Magic
  1. "Seventeen"
    Released: 2002
  2. "Blue Jeans"
    Released: 10 March 2003
  3. "Evil"
    Released: 30 June 2003
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic76/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Chart Attack
Robert Christgau(choice cut)[5]
Drowned in Sound9/10[6]
Pitchfork7.1/10[7]
Playlouder[8]
PopMattersFavourable[9]
Rolling StoneFavourable[2]
Stylus MagazineB+[10]

An earlier version of the song "NuHorizons" appeared as a B-side to the band's 2001 single "The Way That I Found You", under the title "Holiday 601". "Seventeen" is part of the soundtrack to the 2003 film Party Monster, while its instrumental was used in television advertisements for Christina Aguilera's 2008 fragrance Inspire.

Drowned in Sound ranked Light & Magic at number 14 on its Top 41 Albums of the Year list.[11] Rolling Stone included the album on its 50 Best Albums of 2002 list.[12] British dance music magazine Muzik named it the best electropop album of 2002.[13] NME included it at number 41 on their Albums and Tracks of the Year for 2002 list.[14]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."True Mathematics"2:23
2."Seventeen"Hunt4:37
3."Flicking Your Switch"
  • Aroyo
  • Hunt
3:26
4."Fire"Hunt2:49
5."Turn It On"
4:46
6."Blue Jeans"Hunt4:13
7."Cracked LCD"
  • Aroyo
  • Hunt
2:32
8."Black Plastic"Hunt4:17
9."Evil"Hunt5:34
10."Startup Chime"Hunt3:30
11."NuHorizons"
  • Aroyo
  • Hunt
4:03
12."Cease2xist"Hunt4:37
13."Re:agents"
  • Aroyo
  • Hunt
4:53
14."Light & Magic"Hunt3:35
15."The Reason Why" (silence from 4:13 until 5:17, followed by hidden track "USA vs White Noise"; available only on initial non-US pressings)Hunt7:30
Japanese edition bonus tracks[15]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
16."USA vs White Noise"Hunt2:14
17."Seventeen" (Soulwax Mix) 4:25
18."Blue Jeans" (Josh Wink's Vocal Interpretation) 6:05
2004 Emperor Norton reissue bonus tracks[16]
No.TitleLength
16."Seventeen" (Soulwax Mix)4:26
17."Cracked LCD" (Live in Sofia)2:55
18."Light & Magic" (Live in Sofia)3:23
19."Evil" (Pop Levi Mix)3:13
2011 Nettwerk reissue bonus tracks[17]
No.TitleLength
16."Seventeen" (Soulwax Mix)4:26
17."Cracked LCD" (Live in Sofia)2:55
18."Light & Magic" (Live in Sofia)3:23
19."Blue Jeans" (Josh Wink Mix)6:04

Light & Magic (Remixed & Rare)

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On 1 September 2009, Redbird Records and Cobraside Distribution released a compilation of remixes, B-sides and rarities titled Light & Magic (Remixed & Rare). The cover is the negative of the US cover for Light & Magic.[18] Nettwerk reissued Light & Magic (Remixed & Rare) on 20 December 2011 with a slightly altered track listing, removing "Cease2xist" (Instrumental 2002) and adding "Flicking Your Switch" (Erol Alkan Remix).[19]

No.TitleLength
1."Seventeen" (Soulwax Remix)4:28
2."Blue Jeans 2.0" (UK Single Version)3:51
3."Evil" (Axl of Evil Mix)4:08
4."Blue Jeans" (Josh Wink Remix)6:05
5."The Reason Why" (Alternate Version)4:24
6."Light & Magic" (Alternate Version)3:42
7."Cracked LCD" (Alternate Version)2:49
8."Seventeen" (Justin Robertson Remix)7:06
9."Blue Jeans" (Interpol Remix)3:57
10."Evil" (Ewan Pearson Single Remix)4:15
11."Seventeen" (Droyds 12 Remix)6:32
12."Flicking Your Switch" (Mount Sims Remix 1)5:24
13."Seventeen" (Darren Emerson Radio Edit)3:33
14."Evil" (Tony Senghorne Remix)8:09
15."Cease2xist" (Instrumental 2002)4:48
16."Startup Chime" (Instrumental)3:42
17."Evil" (M-Factor Remix)7:55
18."Seventeen" (Acapella)4:45

Personnel

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of Light & Magic.[20][21]

Charts

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Chart (2002) Peak
position
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[22] 31
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[23] 31
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[24] 24
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[25] 7

Release history

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Region Date Format Edition Label Ref.
United States 17 September 2002 Standard Emperor Norton [26][27]
United Kingdom 2 December 2002 Telstar [28][29]
Germany 7 April 2003 CD Warner [30]
12 May 2003 LP [31]
Japan 21 June 2003 CD Victor Entertainment [15]
United States 20 July 2004 Reissue Emperor Norton [16]
Germany 1 September 2009 Digital download Light & Magic (Remixed & Rare)
[18]
United Kingdom [32]
United States [33]
United Kingdom 11 January 2011 Reissue Nettwerk [17]
Germany 14 January 2011 CD [34]
United States 18 January 2011
  • CD
  • digital download
[35][36]
United Kingdom 24 January 2011 CD [37]

References

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  1. ^ Phares, Heather. "Gravity the Seducer – Ladytron". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b Wolk, Douglas (26 August 2002). "Ladytron: Light & Magic". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 5 March 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2004.
  3. ^ "Light & Magic by Ladytron Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  4. ^ Phares, Heather. "Light & Magic – Ladytron". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  5. ^ Christgau, Robert. "CG: Ladytron". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 8 March 2008.
  6. ^ Jones, Neil (30 November 2002). "Ladytron – Light & Magic". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  7. ^ Bowers, William (8 October 2002). "Ladytron: Light & Magic". Pitchfork. Retrieved 15 May 2006.
  8. ^ Detourn, Gal (2 December 2002). "Ladytron: Light & Magic". Playlouder. Archived from the original on 10 February 2005. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  9. ^ Damas, Jason (9 January 2003). "Ladytron: Light & Magic". PopMatters. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  10. ^ Lindsay, Cam (1 September 2003). "Ladytron – Light&Magic". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 July 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  11. ^ "The 'Official' Drowned in Sound.com Top 41 Albums of 2002 / In Depth // Drowned in Sound". Archived from the original on 6 November 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Emperor Norton Records :: Artist :: Ladytron". www.emperornorton.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2003. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Albums of the Year" (PDF). Muzik. January 2003. p. 45. ISSN 1358-541X. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Albums and Tracks of the Year for 2002". NME. 10 October 2016.
  15. ^ a b ライト&マジック [Light & Magic] (in Japanese). Amazon (Japan). Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  16. ^ a b "Light & Magic (Extra Tracks): Ladytron". Amazon (US). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  17. ^ a b "Light & Magic (Bonus Version): Ladytron: MP3 Downloads". Amazon (UK). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  18. ^ a b "Light & Magic (Remixed & Rare): Ladytron: MP3-Downloads" (in German). Amazon (Germany). Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  19. ^ "Light & Magic (Remixed & Rare): Ladytron: MP3 Downloads". Amazon (UK). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  20. ^ Light & Magic (liner notes). Ladytron. Telstar Records. 2002. TCD 3296.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ Light & Magic (US reissue liner notes). Ladytron. Emperor Norton. 2004. ENR 7058-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  23. ^ "Ladytron Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  24. ^ "Ladytron Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  25. ^ "Ladytron Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  26. ^ "Light & Magic: Ladytron". Amazon (US). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  27. ^ "Light & Magic [Vinyl]: Ladytron". Amazon (US). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  28. ^ "Light And Magic: Ladytron". Amazon (UK). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  29. ^ "Light & Magic [VINYL]: Ladytron". Amazon (UK). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  30. ^ "Light & Magic: Ladytron" (in German). Amazon (Germany). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  31. ^ "Ladytron – Light & Magic – LP (analog)" (in German). musicline.de. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  32. ^ "Light & Magic (Remixed & Rare): Ladytron: MP3 Downloads". Amazon (UK). Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  33. ^ "Light & Magic (Remixed & Rare): Ladytron: MP3 Downloads". Amazon (US). Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  34. ^ "Light & Magic: Ladytron (2011)" (in German). Amazon (Germany). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  35. ^ "Light & Magic: Ladytron (2011)". Amazon (US). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  36. ^ "Light & Magic: Ladytron: MP3 Downloads". Amazon (US). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  37. ^ "Light & Magic: Ladytron (2011)". Amazon (UK). Retrieved 16 July 2016.