“Ritual Union” Vinyl Alert by Little Dragon
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Archive for the “Ritual Union” Category
“Ritual Union” Album Review by Little Dragon
The lyrics of singer Yukimi Nagano are occasionally mind bending, frequently brilliant in metaphor, often sweet, and always expertly timed…
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OVERALL 87 |
PRODUCTION 80 |
VOCALS 86 |
INSTRUMENTALS 90 |
LYRICS 91 |
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On their last couple of albums, the Swedish group Little Dragon have displayed a mastering of infectious song writing.
Upon hearing their catchy tracks, the listener’s first reaction is a feeling of nostalgia, as though they’ve heard the tracks before and already know them. Then the tracks crawl into the brain and stay there, playing on a constant loop. “Looking Glass” from Machine Dreams and “After the Rain” on their self titled “Little Dragon” album were full blown epidemics on my subconscious.
Tracks from Little Dragon’s First 2 Albums:
With that expectation, my first listening of their newest album, ‘Ritual Union’, was sweet, but underwhelming. Then a funny thing happened. I listened again. And again. And here I am, still listening daily to an album I picked up 3 weeks ago.
Indeed, Little Dragon has produced an outrageously infectious album. There’s no particular track that will stick in your head, but you’ll find yourself wanting to listen to the entire album repeatedly. The light catchiness of the groove is an indulgence granted on every track. The entire experience is worthy of standing up, throwing your hands behind you and rockin back and forth to the beat… And the love given to the larger experience means you can leave the album on repeat without even noticing you’re listening again . . . There is nothing about this album to grow tired of.
The light touches of the Erik Bodin’s snare have been the hallmark of Little Dragon albums, and they are present, but the synths have really matured and taken their rightful place at the forefront. Their droning presence does a beautiful job of setting the atmosphere for each track, as is expertly displayed on “Please Turn” and it’s sister track “Silverfilm”. On tracks like “Brush the Heat”, “Precious” and “Shuffle a Dream” they explore downright funky ranges. Without question, this is Little Dragon’s most party friendly product.
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The lyrics of singer Yukimi Nagano are occasionally mind bending, frequently brilliant in metaphor, often sweet, and always expertly timed. One of the treats of this album is that she’s a little less willing to play second fiddle to the groove here. Yukimi probably has the cutest sounding voice in music, but here she frequently lets loose with more emotion in her voice than on previous efforts and experiments with different styles throughout. On “Please Turn”, as the tempo quickens and the synths rise, she seems almost competitive with the urgency of the instruments, to brilliant effect.
If forced to name a standout track, I would side with “Nightlight.” The funk infusion combined with Egyptian chords and echoing xylophone make for a delightful high point.
Little Dragon fans who read the glowing reviews this album has received should temper their expectations slightly for the first listen, but have faith in the group you’ve come to love. Without question, Ritual Union is a step forward in the evolution of Little Dragon & past the initial experience this album is rich and rewarding and deserving of a permanent place in your catalog.
Tracks from Little Dragon’s Ritual Union:
