By DCist contributor Mehan Jayasuriya

If you’ve ever watched a sci-fi flick, you’re probably familiar with the theoretical dilemma posed by artificial intelligence — namely the potential that someday, a sentient race of super intelligent toasters will achieve consciousness and violently cast off the shackles of human oppression. Well, Ladytron’s musical trajectory to date has been a bit like the plot from one of those movies.

The Liverpool electro-pop outfit debuted with 604 in 2000, a danceable mix of bleating synths, shuffling beats and disarmingly sweet, vocoder-wrapped vocals. Their sound was remarkably frigid, yet it was clear that somewhere underneath the cold, metal exterior beat a human heart with some serious pop sensibilities. The band has seemingly spent the last few years searching for this essence, adding more traditional instrumentation, increasingly favoring density over minimalism and leaning heavier toward their post-punk bent. The result was a warmer, fuzzier and more accessible Ladytron on last year’s excellent Witching Hour. Given the band’s recent output, how would the tension between organic and mechanic would play out live? Would the band rep their refined sound with a poppy live set?