Marnie \ Biography
Helen Marnie (known as Marnie for solo projects) is the lead vocalist and one of the keyboard players and songwriters in electronic band Ladytron. She began her solo career in 2012, releasing her debut album Crystal World in the summer of 2013.
Born in Glasgow, Helen studied in Liverpool before joining Ladytron in 1999, alongside Daniel Hunt, Reuben Wu and Mira Aroyo. The group found widespread international success with singles such as Playgirl, Seventeen, Destroy Everything You Touch, Ghosts and Ace of Hz, and released five albums between 2001 and 2011: 604, Light & Magic, Witching Hour, Velocifero and Gravity the Seducer.
With her solo debut Crystal World Helen aimed to create "an electronic album with more of a pop element and pristine vocals." The album was produced in Iceland by Ladytron colleague Dan Hunt, drawing praise from Pitchfork for being "witchier and mythier" than their parent group. Lead track The Hunter was issued as a single, with remixes by Roman Nose, Mark Reeder and Stephen Morris (Joy Division/New Order) subsequently released on limited edition 12" to mark Record Store Day 2014.
During 2014 Helen began working with Jonny Scott (Strike the Colours/The Kills) and made her live debut in Glasgow in December. Brand new song Wolves was released as a 7" single for Record Store Day 2015, backed with a remix by Marsheaux. Following a string of international live dates Helen continued to develop her unique take on a modern pop sound with the release of sophomore album Strange Words and Weird Wars, issued in June 2017 via Disco Pinata.
Comprised of ten pulsating tracks, the album showcased the most impressive elements of Marnie's incarnation as a solo artist along with those that made her band, Ladytron, such respected pioneers in electronic music. Soul-crushing synths are beautifully accented by hook-laden choruses as Helen further explores uptempo electro dreampop.
Marnie's ability to effortlessly play with genres becomes more and more apparent as you work your way through the album. Opener Alphabet Block nods to contemporary electro, while Electric Youth channels 80s mall pop - think Pat Benatar via M83, a glorious guilty pleasure. Introspection arrives in the form of the shoegazey A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, giving the air of an unreleased b-side from a cult vampire movie. And while lead single, Lost Maps, should be heard on dancefloors around the world, Summer Boys echoes the hazy days of summer, dreaming big whilst reading stolen Mills and Boons books.
Watch the clip for The Hunter here: