Little Dragon all grown up on 21st birthday album

Twenty-one years after they first began playing together, Little Dragon continue to make forward-thinking pop music. Following on from the Grammy-nominated Nabuma Rubberband, the Swedish quartet's fifth album is as replete with zig-zagging synth riffs, dashing beats and subtle throwbacks to pop's yesteryear as ever before.

Yukimi Nagano remains the star attraction on Season High, her versatile vocals accommodating the slinky throb of High, the clubby Strobe Light, the Janet Jackson-esque electro-pop of Celebrate and the soulful falsetto Don't Cry with a satisfying serenity. Her bandmates get their chance to shine on Sweet, which takes its cue from classic video games, on the glittery, jittery clatter of Should I and on experimental closer Gravity.

The result is a rare pop album with all of its ingredients measured in just the right portions. little-dragon.net