Before Fischerspooner unleashed the horror that was “Emerge” on the world, before Adult. started punching out reporters for calling them electroclash, before teutonic 80s beats came back into vogue for fourteen seconds, there was “Commodore Rock.” Released initially on an EP in 2000, Ladytron’s first single was also their manifesto, and a blueprint for what the genre could have become.

It’s also a good showcase of some of the things electroclash has since lacked: aggression and attitude. “Commodore Rock” isn’t a song you dance to; it’s a song you stage a revolution to. The soaring synth washes set the backdrop for Mira Aroyo’s strident vocals, a sharp and welcome contrast to the deadpan style that has become the norm. And unlike Ladytron’s later work, “Commodore Rock” doesn’t suffer from slick over-production—with its staccato beats and final dissolution into noise, the song is especially harsh and unpolished, giving it some sharp hooks.

Alas, Ladytron’s future had more “Black Plastic” in it than delightfully noisy fare like this, making “Commodore Rock” something of an anomaly. 604 isn’t exactly a classic, but it’s one of the highlights of the stillborn genre of trashy europop electronica.