by Juliet Cangelosi
photo by IB Kamara
Little Dragon is the soundtrack to a tripped-out slumber, the music you wish were playing when Dorothy and her crew fell asleep among the charmed poppies. With the release of their fifth studio album Season High, the Swedish experimental electro-pop group evokes thoughts of a luxurious trip to an alternate dimension. Yukimi Nagano’s breezy vocals permeate synth-heavy, laid-back grooves like thick smoke — and it’s enchanting as hell. The album balances tensions of darkness and light juxtaposed with themes of helplessness and hopefulness, most evident in tracks like “Sweet” where the lines between love and addiction are as fuzzy as the bassline. These veterans of the pop scene — oftentimes more notorious for their guest features with the likes of Gorillaz, Big Boi, and Flume than their solo projects — have evolved a great deal since their debut 10 years ago. They are certain to both provoke and bewitch.
