Playful sensuality
Swedish electronic band Little Dragon shone brightest in their collaborations across genres with stars such as Kaytranada, Flying Lotus and Tinashe while their solo efforts tend to underwhelm. Little Dragon’s latest album, New Me, Same Us, refreshes their own sound, keeping their unique genre-bending sensibility while gaining a new air of playfulness and energy. While not without its flaws, the personality-filled album does not fail to excite.
New Me, Same Us brings together old school and futuristic sounds through their curious sense of musical timbre. In the Latin-influenced electro-pop in “Rush” and the groovy, laid-back Neo-soul in “Every Rain,” the elements in their busy compositions always playfully converse and not compete for attention. This willingness to play with timbre gives the highlights of New Me, Same Us a timeless, yet forward-thinking, quality to them. In “New Fiction,” the gorgeously layered chorus and the spacey synths dance with the groovy bassline and vocalist Yukimi Nagano’s delicate performance to create an impeccable sensuality.
This sensuality is at the center of the album’s more soulful cuts. Running at six minutes, “Stay Right Here” lets each instrument take the spotlight at a time to build up to a slow yet triumphant and emotional climax with Nagano’s powerful belt. Nagano’s versatile performance is the album’s emotional core. From her hushed lower register in “Water” to her airy falsetto in “Every Rain,” Nagano’s voice commands the ebbs and flows in New Me, Same Us, giving every track more nuance and rooting them in sensuality.
However, when Little Dragon’s experimentations with timbres miss the mark, the crowdedness of their compositions become a distraction. The prominent yet stagnant bassline and the harsh shaky percussion distract from the sweet synths and Nagano’s sultry performance with sparkling harmonies in “Another Lover.” “Are You Feeling Sad” sees the same problem. Nagano’s refrains, the glitchy synths, and the overly busy hi-hat patterns crowd the higher frequencies. This crowdedness results in a harsh mix with fierce competition for attention in its instrumentation, undermining the track’s joyful optimism: “Don’t worry don’t worry/ you’re gonna be alright.”
New Me, Same Us is a charming record that sees Little Dragon establish their sounds more and more. As they blur the restriction of genre and embrace experimenting with timbre, their music still intrigues with its complexity and sensuality yet sounds more playful than ever. Even with a few missteps, New Me, Same Us remains an admirable showcase of Little Dragon’s personality and creativity.
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