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Ritual Union by Little Dragon.

Performer Notes:

• Diverse post-Machine Dreams collaborations with Gorillaz, David Sitek/Maximum Balloon, Raphael Saadiq, and SBTRKT made Ritual Union the most anticipated Little Dragon album yet. Perhaps coincidentally, it represents a fusion and refinement of the group's first two albums. Much of it crosses Little Dragon's lithe, alien R&B with Machine Dreams' straightforward, rubbery new wave. Nothing has the plaintive chill of the debut's otherworldly ballad "Twice," but some of the snappier songs -- the hushed "Brush the Heat," the bopping "Nightlight," and the scampering "Shuffle a Dream" especially -- are tricked out with foreign sonic baubles and accents. This is not to say that Ritual Union is short on new developments. The group puts some twists on its sound, and Yukimi Nagano's lyrical thorns, typically concealed by her subtle approach -- no need to ask for her indoor voice -- are sharper than ever. Synths swarm warily throughout the cynical title song, where Nagano confronts her father (or a father): "You ran away so many times/Your kids, your heart, a couple dimes." "Summertearz" is the most unique of all -- a pinging tribal beat and chant with Nagano weeping, "So lead me on, into your web." ~ Andy Kellman

Professional Reviews: Rolling Stone (p.76) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "'Precious' begins as dubstep pop, then morphs into an off-kilter house jam."

Rolling Stone (p.72) - Ranked #41 in Rolling Stone's '50 Best Albums Of 2011' -- "[T]he Gothenberg quintet spiked their synth-happy pop with freaky soul..."

Spin (p.73) - "Little Dragon's third full-length deepens the group's down-tempo mix of icy techno and smoldering R&B."

CMJ - "On RITUAL UNION, electronica and soul are merged and juxtaposed in every conceivable way."

Q (Magazine) (p.117) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[I]t's all beautifully poised....Their instinctive subtlety works to their advantage on the title track..."

Mojo (Publisher) (p.93) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he lyrics are more revealing than before, with Nagano giving out a general plea for contact and connection."

Paste (magazine) - "[T]he title track doesn't waste any time letting you know how good this band can be....'Crystalfilm' sends cavernous vocals careening off crystalline walls..."

Pitchfork (Website) - "They are essentially an R&B band, but the major elements of their style are skewed enough that while the music seems vaguely familiar, it doesn't sound quite like anyone else."

Clash (magazine) - "It's dark and downbeat, smoky and soulful....RITUAL UNION is the rich vindication of Little Dragon's slow burning upturn."

Uncut (magazine) (p.93) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "RITUAL UNION continues the work of 2009's MACHINE DREAMS, weaving a lush tapestry of warmly surreal art-pop around Nagano's cries and whispers."

Uncut (magazine) (p.32) - Ranked #37 in Uncut's '50 Best Albums Of 2011' -- "RITUAL UNION showcased their elegant brand of electropop, pleasingly understated and immune to fashionable whim."

Format: Vinyl (1 Disc)

Country: United Kingdom

Release Date: 26 July, 2011

Label: Peacefrog

• Diverse post-Machine Dreams collaborations with Gorillaz, David Sitek/Maximum Balloon, Raphael Saadiq, and SBTRKT made Ritual Union the most anticipated Little Dragon album yet. Perhaps coincidentally, it represents a fusion and refinement of the group's first two albums. Much of it crosses Little Dragon's lithe, alien R&B with Machine Dreams' straightforward, rubbery new wave. Nothing has the plaintive chill of the debut's otherworldly ballad "Twice," but some of the snappier songs -- the hushed "Brush the Heat," the bopping "Nightlight," and the scampering "Shuffle a Dream" especially -- are tricked out with foreign sonic baubles and accents. This is not to say that Ritual Union is short on new developments. The group puts some twists on its sound, and Yukimi Nagano's lyrical thorns, typically concealed by her subtle approach -- no need to ask for her indoor voice -- are sharper than ever. Synths swarm warily throughout the cynical title song, where Nagano confronts her father (or a father): "You ran away so many times/Your kids, your heart, a couple dimes." "Summertearz" is the most unique of all -- a pinging tribal beat and chant with Nagano weeping, "So lead me on, into your web." ~ Andy Kellman