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Review
It's been a stellar year for Little Dragon, and it seems the torch paper of wider acceptance has truly been lit. Collaborations with Gorillaz and David Sitek, celebrity fans in Big Boi and ?uestlove, and a burgeoning broadsheet love-in: three is definitely proving to be the magic number as the Sweden-based four-piece ready their third LP. With no shortage of charm, the band should ease their way into many an audience's affections.
From the opening chimes of title-track, Ritual Union is an effortless exercise in economics. Nothing is wasted nor added needlessly for effect, and it's an album that revels in clean, crisp production. Driven by skittering percussion and an impressive BPM heartbeat, this set could feel cold and mechanical; but even with an electronic influence stamped throughout, there's a sense of craft and warmth, largely owing to Little Dragon's enduring attention to detail and members' session musician past. It's these lovingly constructed backdrops that give Shuffle a Dream mass pop appeal; Crystalfilm its seductive, honeyed melodies; and Summertearz its offbeat, tribal lilt. Then there's Yukimi Nagano's husky-yet-girlish vocal, a constant highlight in its own right, weaving amidst shape-shifting passages of minimal funk, dreamy pop and electro soul, adding a pleasantly saccharine topping to an already satisfying LP.
But perhaps what's most satisfying is that, much like Little Dragon's slow-burning career, Ritual Union is so wonderfully unassuming. There's no signature statements; no desperation to blow you away in the opening few tracks before settling into an album of mediocrity and mundane fillers. Instead, it serves up numbers like the sumptuous pleading of Please Turn; the TVOTR-do-dubstep of Precious; and the sparse experimentation of Brush the Heat, a cut that would have Jamie xx purring.
And it's this uncompromising consistency, masked by the band's playful imagination and born from an unerring commitment to their art, which makes Ritual Union so rewarding. This band's gradual edging over the precipice of mainstream acceptance has been richly deserved; now, everyone should hear this dragon roar.
--Reef Younis
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By M. Wilkinson
Format:Audio CD
I first heard of this band from their collaboration with the Gorillaz on the album 'Plastic Beach'. The I discovered the moving video for 'Twice' on Youtube and I thought 'I have to hear more from this group'.
I only just learned today that this album is their 3rd, listening to it and the album simply called 'Little Dragon' I'd assumed that Ritual Union was an earlier album because it is more minimalist, maybe a tiny bit more experimental. Its good to know that they're looking to make their sound even more avante guarde and not just try to please a larger mainstream audience.
The band's sound is mainly due to the understated and husky lyrics of Yukimi Nagano. The album uses a variety of beats and melodies and there's only as many instruments as are necessary, nevermore. Songs like 'Summertearz' are striking due to a beat which is reminiscent of some 'world' music from South Africa. All in all the album has a haunting quality and a sad tone but the music is beautiful. Well worth a listen.
I only just learned today that this album is their 3rd, listening to it and the album simply called 'Little Dragon' I'd assumed that Ritual Union was an earlier album because it is more minimalist, maybe a tiny bit more experimental. Its good to know that they're looking to make their sound even more avante guarde and not just try to please a larger mainstream audience.
The band's sound is mainly due to the understated and husky lyrics of Yukimi Nagano. The album uses a variety of beats and melodies and there's only as many instruments as are necessary, nevermore. Songs like 'Summertearz' are striking due to a beat which is reminiscent of some 'world' music from South Africa. All in all the album has a haunting quality and a sad tone but the music is beautiful. Well worth a listen.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Syriat
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD
Taking a simple riff and building through it a dance track that entrances and lingers seems to be what Dubstep has turned into recently. A movement that was easily dismissed before this year is now becoming one of the most interesting and rewarding musical areas in 2011. Little Dragon's third album is no exception to this. Its a poppy type of music that is akin to dubstep, RnB and Pop. They sound quite unique really and whilst this amalgam might be messy in someone elses hands Little Dragon make it work. Where this really works though is with Yukimi Nagano's vocals. She has a voice that suits the music on offer here and really hooks the listener in.
The structures of tracks here are around riffs that are repeated throughout and added to during the track. Little Man has a simple riff, percussion and keyboards combine to create a great linger tune. The immediacy of the title track is obvious - it is instantly memorable and works fantastically. However, that's not always true of the rest of the album. Tracks like Please Turn and Nightlight are growers and really work on repeated listens. Don't get me wrong they hang around the head after first listen but its on repeated plays they grow to be the great tracks they are.
This isn't to everyone's taste. It lacks the bombast and danceability that some may want. But in its understated way this album will grow on you and become one of 2011 better efforts.
The structures of tracks here are around riffs that are repeated throughout and added to during the track. Little Man has a simple riff, percussion and keyboards combine to create a great linger tune. The immediacy of the title track is obvious - it is instantly memorable and works fantastically. However, that's not always true of the rest of the album. Tracks like Please Turn and Nightlight are growers and really work on repeated listens. Don't get me wrong they hang around the head after first listen but its on repeated plays they grow to be the great tracks they are.
This isn't to everyone's taste. It lacks the bombast and danceability that some may want. But in its understated way this album will grow on you and become one of 2011 better efforts.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Having sounded like a stuck record recommending the wonders of Sweden's Radio Dept, a move across the country from that bands home in Lund in the extreme south to Gothenburg on the West coast is now order. Here we find located the equally wonderful "Little Dragon" comprising the intriguing and forthright Swedish-Japanese singer Yukimi Nagano (vocals, percussion) plus fellow band members Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrik Källgren Wallin (bass), and Rashik Aryal (keyboards). Like Radio Dept this band specialise in creating bold electronic landscapes but probably owe a greater debt to the pop sensibilities of Blondie and Prince than the shoe gaze preoccupation's of the former. This is unsurprising not least with the enchanting vocals of Nagana who can sound like Prince, Bjork and a myriad of other artists. Listen to the title track "Ritual Union" with is sparkling electronic rush and you quickly release that it could have appeared on "Graffiti bridge" and by doing so increased the quality of that album tenfold. When she rather cheekily asks in the song "If you want him, girl, could you share?/Cuz that's the deal now, if you dare" you sense that she is not going to take "no" for an answer. The pounding "Cystalfilm" is fundamentally great pop music with a dance floor ethic. Its that sort of track that heads down your musical burrow like an old stoat and refuses to leave. Its effortlessly cool and destined to be mixed by a thousand aspring producers.
Throughout the electronic backdrop is never intrusive and as with the considerable restraint shown in the new Wild Beasts album many songs build slowly but surely with careful layer upon layers of sound, controlled to perfection without a note out of place.... Read more ›
Throughout the electronic backdrop is never intrusive and as with the considerable restraint shown in the new Wild Beasts album many songs build slowly but surely with careful layer upon layers of sound, controlled to perfection without a note out of place.... Read more ›
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By DailyCrumb
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love this album. It is Little Dragon trying something new which they do brilliantly.
First off, the CD case is cardboard. Meaningful cover and hand written logo. The back cover is a nice colour of green with the tracklisting and title of the album.
A very nice CD case to have on your shelf.
This album is all about experimenting with weird sounds to make beats and tunes. And then getting their brilliant vocalist to connect it all together like pop glue. Although the sounds are unique in themselves.
The song ritual union, is not the highlight of the album but still a very good track. And a memorable one as well. My favourite tracks on the album would be Little Man, Please Turn, Nightlight, When i go Out and Seconds.
When I Go Out is an interesting track, creating a tune out of basically just a beat and an alien voice. But still it is really nice to have playing in the background.
My only complaint would be in Brush the Heat (Which i also love) there is a really screamy sound which did not sound so great on my stereo.
All in all, great album ,great sounds, and great choruses.
Just wish it was longer!
First off, the CD case is cardboard. Meaningful cover and hand written logo. The back cover is a nice colour of green with the tracklisting and title of the album.
A very nice CD case to have on your shelf.
This album is all about experimenting with weird sounds to make beats and tunes. And then getting their brilliant vocalist to connect it all together like pop glue. Although the sounds are unique in themselves.
The song ritual union, is not the highlight of the album but still a very good track. And a memorable one as well. My favourite tracks on the album would be Little Man, Please Turn, Nightlight, When i go Out and Seconds.
When I Go Out is an interesting track, creating a tune out of basically just a beat and an alien voice. But still it is really nice to have playing in the background.
My only complaint would be in Brush the Heat (Which i also love) there is a really screamy sound which did not sound so great on my stereo.
All in all, great album ,great sounds, and great choruses.
Just wish it was longer!
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4.7 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
love it
i love this cd i have give it to a number of friends and family now they are hooked as well.
no dislikes or regrets
no dislikes or regrets
Published 5 months ago by tommo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
I hadn't heard of Little Dragon before buying this CD but pleased I did. Really rich sounding album, buy it!
Published 6 months ago by S. wright
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hypnotic fusion of two cultures.
'Ritual Union' was recommended to me by my eldest daughter. I have listened to this Little Dragon CD every day since purchasing it. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Nicholas John Timms
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing Album - Cant wait to see what they can do :-)
Amazing Album - Cant wait to see what they can do :-) Has multiple influences, hence difficult to pinpint genre... that however, is why I like it!
Published 17 months ago by A. P. Hudson
5.0 out of 5 stars
not Welsh
this is not music made by dragons so if your after that buy something else. Tom Jones is a Welsh man of sorts however. So is Dave Beynan.
Published 18 months ago by mark broadbent
4.0 out of 5 stars
revivalists
Love the sound, synth revival at it's best although stills manages to sound new and fresh.
Cool laid back vocals great beats and feel, worth a look
Cool laid back vocals great beats and feel, worth a look
Published 19 months ago by mindlessamble
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ethan Mclaughlin
not 1 thing wrong with this album.I picked this up after hearing a couple of there songs on gilles peterson not really sure i would like it but it is superb really interesting... Read more
Published 21 months ago by ethanmc27
5.0 out of 5 stars
A move towards future bass
Interestingly Little Dragon have moved ever-so-slightly away from the playfulness of their earlier records and towards a more bass-orientated kind of music. Read more
Published 21 months ago by T. Clark
5.0 out of 5 stars
New(ish) sound!
Great third album from Little Dragon, if you liked the first two, you'll love this one, slightly different sound to previous but still in same vein....
Published 21 months ago by G. A. Austin
4.0 out of 5 stars
Will never get sick listening to this!
After listening to Little Dragon's previous albums such as their self titled album, 'Feather' from their second album 'Machine Dreams' and Yukimi Nagano's contribution to Gorillaz... Read more
Published 22 months ago by MashaPasha
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