Little Dragon

The Swedish quartet Little Dragon produces music instantly identifiable through the coolly expressive vocals of Yukimi Nagano, yielding a core sound rooted in downtempo electronic pop. At the same time, the group has woven in an eclectic array of modern R&B, hip-hop, and underground dance elements that reference disco, new wave, and classic vocal jazz. Their first full-length release, Little Dragon (2007), introduced the haunting ballad “Twice” and launched a run of Top Five dance/electronic albums that continued with Ritual Union (2011); Nabuma Rubberband (2014) reached the Top 15 on the U.K. chart and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album. Subsequent studio efforts shaped in their Gothenburg workspace include Season High (2017), New Me, Same Us (2020), and Slugs of Love (2023). Across their career they have broadened their reach through carefully chosen guest spots on recordings by Gorillaz, SBTRKT, Kaytranada, and Flying Lotus, among many others.

Yukimi Nagano (vocals, keyboards, percussion), Erik Bodin (drums, keyboards), Fredrik Wallin (keyboards, bass, percussion), and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards, drums) formed Little Dragon in their hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. The name originated from a nickname given to Nagano that alluded to her occasionally fiery studio demeanor. The band issued their first recording, the “Test” single, in 2006 on the independent Scandinavian label Off the Wall. This release secured a contract with the larger British indie Peacefrog, which issued their self-titled debut album the following August. Blending left-field jazz, R&B, and hip-hop textures, the album cultivated a devoted following and gained wider attention when its opening track, the hushed piano ballad “Twice,” appeared during the 2008-2009 season of Grey's Anatomy. Departing from that approach, the quartet shifted toward icy, hook-driven electro-pop on their second album, Machine Dreams, issued in August 2009.

Extensive touring alongside Gorillaz, who also featured the quartet on the 2010 album Plastic Beach (“Empire Ants,” “To Binge”), plus further studio work with Dave Sitek’s Maximum Balloon (“If You Return”), Raphael Saadiq (“Just Don’t”), and SBTRKT (“Wildfire”), heightened anticipation for the band’s third album. Ritual Union, arriving in July 2011 as both a fusion and refinement of the earlier two LPs, achieved notable international commercial traction, reaching number 47 on the Swedish national chart, number 22 in the U.K., and number 78 in the U.S., where it also climbed to number four on the dance/electronic chart. Additional featured appearances soon followed on recordings by DJ Shadow (“Scale It Back”) and Big Boi (“Thom Pettie”).

Having previously handled most of their own material internally, Little Dragon enlisted Robin Hannibal and De La Soul’s Dave for multiple tracks on their fourth LP, with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra adding further depth. They drew inspiration from Prince and Janet Jackson as well as the stark winter setting of their hometown. Nabuma Rubberband—their first album for Loma Vista in the U.S. and Because Music elsewhere—emerged in May 2014 following three promotional singles. It peaked in the Top 15 in the U.K. and Top 25 in the U.S., where it also finished just short of the summit of the dance/electronic chart, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album later that year.

Over the ensuing years Little Dragon appeared on tracks led by Odesza (“Light”), Mac Miller (“The Festival”), Kaytranada (“Bullets”), Flume (“Take a Chance”), and De La Soul (“Drawn”). Their fifth album, Season High, arrived in April 2017 and became their third consecutive Top Five dance/electronic chart entry. By year’s end they also issued the non-album track “Peace of Mind,” produced with Raphael Saadiq and featuring Faith Evans. In 2018 the band released the singles “Sway Daisy” and “Best Friends,” contributed to recordings by BadBadNotGood and Tinashe, and signed with Ninja Tune for the four-track EP Lover Chanting, which appeared that November. Guest roles on material by Little Simz, Flying Lotus, and sir Was, together with three of their own singles—including the Kali Uchis collaboration “Are You Feeling Sad?”—preceded the March 2020 release of New Me, Same Us, their first proper Ninja Tune album and sixth LP overall. With live touring halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Little Dragon marked the album’s arrival that month via a live-streamed performance.

The band maintained their customary activity between albums, teaming with Moses Sumney on “The Other Lover” at the close of 2020. The New Me, Same Us Remix EP, featuring reworkings by Sumney, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Octo Octa, and six additional artists, surfaced in 2021, as did the Drifting Out EP, which contained the standalone single “Drifting Out,” a Kelsey Lu remix, and a version with cellists Yo-Yo Ma and Jakob Koranyi. Continuing to develop material in their home studio, Little Dragon assembled their seventh album and previewed it in 2022 with the three-track Opening the Door EP, fronted by the JID collaboration “Stay.” Further previews incorporating new wave, hip-hop, and house elements continued well into 2023, culminating in the July release of Slugs of Love. Former collaborator and touring partner Damon Albarn of Gorillaz appeared on the track “Gold.”