I've had a hankering for new music recently. When I can't remember the last time I updated my iPod or whether or not it even has battery left in it (damn the generation that requires USB cables to charge, DAMN THEM), that's when I know it's time to tune back in to the wonderfully diverse realm of contemporary music.
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| Vocalist Yukimi Nagano and her dragons. |
Little Dragon, have given birth to something beautiful 'Ritual Union', that's so new and fresh from release that it's still piping hot. The electronic music group from Sweden (I sometimes wonder if this country is my true calling - once again luring me into a pleasurable Swedish vortex of dark electronica) compile their tracks with the best of synthetic beats, electronic sounds and vocals that fit soundly within the realms of trip-hop.
Now Little Dragon are fairly new to me, having only discovered them about two months ago with their previous 2009 album, Machine Dreams so to receive news of Ritual Union's release I was a rather happy bunny. To my delightful surprise, Ritual Union greatly differs in style and influence to their previous albums, feeling more toned down on the experimental side with greater focus on syncopated melodies. Don't get me wrong, experimentation with sound is never a bad thing, but it seriously requires far more concentration to appreciate the beauties that hide within layers of sometimes unnecessary sound.
On a first impression, the tracks on Ritual Union really remind me of Martina Topley Bird's work - which may be rooted to Nagano's vocal style and their rhythmic undertones. Nagano's silky voice compliments the swing beats with ease igniting an obvious contrast between the delicateness of her vocals and the darkness of their upbeat rhythms and bass.
ln a nut shell, Ritual Union highlights how it's possible to create statically charged tracks that are sexy, chilled and upbeat all at the same time. I'll always have respect for Little Dragon and the fearless way they experiment with sounds, static and noise to ultimately compose tuneful songs that only the worthy will greatly appreciate.
Special gems to look out for in this album are;
Enjoy my little chickadees.
I actually saw this foursome play earlier in the year as well. They're a very entertaining and competent group, and I was especially pleased with how Nagano's singing in a live setting. Sadly, I kind of have to be in a certain mood to listen to their music. I did enjoy this new album but will have to give it more spins to form a proper opinion.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I have a couple recommended live performances for you to check out. They're both what turned me onto Little Dragon to begin with. Here you are:
"Feather"
"My Step"
EDIT: how Nagano's singing sounded* (typo Nazi, I am)
ReplyDelete