Album title:
Little Dragon
Artist:
Little Dragon
Label:
Peacefrog
Splattering a broad pallet of influences against a canvas of great pop music, Little Dragon enter the musical world with this assured and intricate debut. Hailing from Gothenburg, Little Dragon eschew the gothic bent of fellow Scandinavians The Knife or Royksopp, opting instead for a downbeat form of electronica closer in style to Bjork's poppier work or RJD2's experiments in modern soul. Vocalist Yukimi Nagano lacks the potency of either of these icons, though her voice conveys a genuine emotional lilt that complements the marimbas, guitars, brass, strings and shifting beats. There's a few moments where it all goes a bit Katie Melua, but Test's chunky rhythms and reverb-heavy vocals demonstrate why Little Dragon found a home on Peacefrog. Though underplayed and subtle, this is a surprisingly large entrance for such a Little Dragon. [Liam Arnold]
Out now