Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic76/100
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
Chart Attack
Robert Christgau
Drowned in Sound9/10
Pitchfork7.1/10
Playlouder
PopMattersFavourable
Rolling StoneFavourable
Stylus MagazineB+

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.

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. Rolling Stone included the album on its 50 Best Albums of 2002 list. British dance music magazine Muzik named it the best electropop album of 2002. NME included it at number 41 on their Albums and Tracks of the Year for 2002 list.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."True Mathematics"Mira Aroyo Daniel Hunt2:23
2."Seventeen"Hunt4:37
3."Flicking Your Switch"Aroyo Hunt3:26
4."Fire"Hunt2:49
5."Turn It On"Hunt Reuben Wu4:46
6."Blue Jeans"Hunt4:13
7."Cracked LCD"Aroyo Hunt2:32
8."Black Plastic"Hunt4:17
9."Evil"Hunt5:34
10."Startup Chime"Hunt3:30
11."NuHorizons"Aroyo Hunt4:03
12."Cease2xist"Hunt4:37
13."Re:agents"Aroyo Hunt4:53
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
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
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
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)

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. 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).

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

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Light & Magic.

Ladytron Daniel Hunt Reuben Wu Helen Marnie Mira Aroyo Additional musicians Michael Fitzpatrick – additional programming Roger Joseph Manning Jr. – additional keyboards Shari – backing vocals on "Seventeen" Justin Meldal-Johnsen – electric bassTechnical Daniel Hunt – production Mickey Petralia – additional production, mixing Michael Fitzpatrick – engineering Matt Fausak – engineering assistance Aleks Tamulis – engineering assistance Artwork Big Active – art direction, design Ladytron – art direction Donald Milne – photography Tom Dolan – art direction, design (US edition) William Howard – photography (US edition)

Charts

Chart (2002)Peak position
UK Independent Albums (OCC)31
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)31
US Independent Albums (Billboard)24
US Top Dance Albums (Billboard)7

Release history

RegionDateFormatEditionLabelRef.
United States17 September 2002CDLPStandardEmperor Norton
United Kingdom2 December 2002Telstar
Germany7 April 2003CDWarner
12 May 2003LP
Japan21 June 2003CDVictor Entertainment
United States20 July 2004ReissueEmperor Norton
Germany1 September 2009Digital downloadLight & Magic (Remixed & Rare)RedbirdCobraside
United Kingdom
United States
United Kingdom11 January 2011ReissueNettwerk
Germany14 January 2011CD
United States18 January 2011CDdigital download
United Kingdom24 January 2011CD