Album Review: Little Dragon - Ritual Union

Swedish electronic pop band Little Dragon release their third album.

One blogger referred to the band as "the most famouselectronic outfit that no one has ever heard of", and they're quite right. Led by Yukimi Nagano, Little Dragon has worked with Damon Albarn on his Gorillaz project, appearing on the Plastic Beach album, as well as with producer/ musician Dave Sitek (of New York indie-rock giants TV on the Radio, whose production credits include Yeah Yeah Yeahs).

They have other famous fans in neo-soul musician Raphael Saadiq and one-half of OutKast,  Big Boi.

Despite this, Little Dragon aren't major superstars. In fact, they're not even stars (in the MTV sense). But they are supernovas in international indie scenes.

Their sound is an effortless blend of indie, electronica, pop and trip-hop, while Nagano's stunning voice complements the music perfectly without taking the backseat to the beats.

The opening title track gives no indication of any evolution from the band - it could be from their 2007 debut or its follow-up, Machine Dreams. The lyrics chronicle heartbreak, albeit poetically: " Love's sinking in the sand/ petals falling on demand/ my feet are running like the wind/...Love is not like they say/ I lied, it’s hard to make it stay/ I drown my feelings in the sea/ Then dried out over on the beach."

Little Man may sound like the soundtrack to a 90s arcade game, but the lyrics are not candy floss, dealing with the old cliché of money not buying one happiness: "Castle house, cars and the latest blues/ no doubt got you feeling empty/ man your bank's packed to the edge/ and still you’re sad."

The lyrics set the tone for the rest of the album, where the ideas of materialism and keeping up appearances crop up in different shades and forms. The theme of water is also a common thread throughout the album.

Shuffle A Dream - which sonically embraces Eurythmics-style 80s synth-pop - is about a coveted, flashy rich guy: "You cruise around in a deluxe water craft/ and play it big in designer shades acting high class/ and the girls that you know all admire that/ they want your kids in a row/... You act supreme as your fortune lit the sky/ but it’s a shell with a crack/ and you’re just a plain guy," Nagano sings nonchalantly.

Summertearz sees the theme of broken hearts make another appearance, with Nagano singing: "The coldest wind hit me so hard/ I raise my fist/ I slip apart/ Nothing compares nothing at all/ just like my tears/ I let them fall". The song itself sounds like the Mario Brothers version of Björk's Earth Intruders.

One of the standout tracks on Ritual Union is the incredibly sexy Brush the Heat, which also houses some evocative, beautiful lyrics: "I’m feeling bold/ I’m in a dream/ I have no mask/ I have no guard/ It’s just the flesh there bare under the stars." The lyrics are set against instrumentals that sound like a dancing heartbeat.

Nagano isn't one to dramatise her singing in order to make the emotions felt. It's quite effortless for her, just as the music is effortless for the band. While initially Ritual Union may seem lazy and uninteresting, it is evidence of a band that keeps getting more confident and comfortable in their musicianship. Comfortable enough to slowly explore new dimensions, but not comfortable enough to rehash the same songs over and over.

Will Ritual Union make Little Dragon big superstars? It's highly unlikely. While the album is evidence of the band's brilliance, it's not music for the masses. A pity because Little Dragon should be heard by everyone who appreciates music that's cool without even trying.

Rating: 8/10