Little Dragon

Sweden's premiere indietronica act – bearing in mind there's quite a few to choose from, so that's an impressive achievement – are a magnificent stampede of subtle dance nuances, pristine glasslike beats and chilled hooks. Singer Yukimi Nagano croons with impassioned soul, splashing an intriguing timbre over the top of Little Dragon's electro tones. They're the epitome of cool, and with the release of their fourth record – Nabuma Rubberband – they're set to finally make the leap from burbling under the surface to assaulting the charts. By far their biggest hit, at least in the UK, is “Ritual Union”, a pulsing slow-burn of an anthem, with the nudging throb of bass, crystalline beats and Grimes-y (as in Claire Boucher, not Wiley) synth squalls. However, there are plenty of other ditties to select from their catalogue, not least new efforts like “Klapp Klapp” and “Killing Me”.
When stomping on stages across Europe and the US, Little Dragon opt to envelop the crowd in an aura of docile glee. Slow, strong movements, glitter-encrusted drum pads, bold fashion statements and piercing stares are fundamentals – expect a Little Dragon set to be intense, and a weird combination of relentless hedonism and complete serenity.

When I heard Yukimi Nagano sing on Little Dragon’s first album self-titled album I was instantly hooked on her voice. It was reminiscent Erykah Badu, who, as far as I’m concerned, is most soulful person in music today. Layered over stripped down, left field hip-hop beats with a heavy dose of synth, Little Dragon puts a new, albeit Swedish, spin on soul music. As their sound has grown they have helped me appreciate a whole new realm of pop music.
I finally caught a show after their 2014 release ‘Nabuma Rubberband.' This most recent release culminates the different styles heard on the previous three albums. This particular nights set pulled mostly from their second release ‘Machine Dreams.' After seeing their live show I realized I need to go back through 'Machine Dreams' with a fresh ear. When I first gave it a listen, I don't think I was ready for that breed of icy, synth pop. It came across really well live but it was still Yuki’s voice that held me through it all.
The pace stayed just below danceable for most of the night except when they played "Looking Glass" and "Ritual Union." They wrapped up the show with "Twice" sending everyone home on an ethereal cloud of soul.

When you walk into an auditorium full of Little Dragon fans it is like walking into this magical, mythical land full of rainbows and love and unicorns and puppies!! The bands lighting experience coupled with the intense bass, the swirling synths and THOSE DRUMS are impeccable. Yukimi's soulful voice carries you, above the crowd, into the ganja filled air; and it gives you a PERFECT spot to enjoy the live experience. As you make your way to the bar or the restroom you still cannot help but dance as you push through the sea of LD fan boys and girls who are dancing their butts off! Little Dragon is perfect, and so are their fans.

Little Dragon's performance was stellar! These are musicians with palpable authenticity and enthusiasm shining through in their performance. Sadly, the venue (The Beacham) fell short and tainted the concert experience. The acoustics were poor (and I've noticed this to be the case at every show I've been to there), and the stage room has an island bar in the middle of the room attracting drinkers and talkers who are more interested in mingling than experiencing the show. Worst of all, this venue still allows cigarette smoking inside (what year is it??) and there's no ventilation, making the venue a nasty health risk.

Little Dragon, Yukimi and Co. What can be said?! It's like trying to describe a Yes or Grateful Dead or Thievery Corporation live show, it HAS to be experienced, this was our third LD show and we accidently missed some songs but they were in HIGH form and played together as a strong unit. Her voice as angelic as always, her variant ions in the way she singe each song makes each concert a new experience. Certain bands must be seen live to be fully appreciated, and Lottle Dragon falls in with those few elite bands that can be said about.

It was great, i honestly can't put into words the positive and uplifting vibes that were there the band were amazing and friendly and the crowd was too. Yukimi and i had a moment when she pointed right at me in 'Klapp Klapp', she also asked us all to sing a part of Ritual Union which was fun. I was front row and didn't feel squished to the barrier. Such a great show, just go see em. P.S the support act Nao was great alot of energy and feminine aggression.

What a great, high-energy show by Little Dragon at First Avenue in Minneapolis last night! The big crowd came away very satisfied and mesmerized by the onslaught of their throbbing electronic sound and the incredible vocals, drama, and dancing of Yukimi Nagano. Some cool stage lights adding nicely to the party...

AMAZING SHOW. It was so good to finally see one of my favorite groups live. Yukimi sounds just as good as her album voice, the band is energetic and interactive, and the stage design was simple, yet made a bright impact.

Their opener, Sango, was a great lead-in to the show, as well!

Little Dragon sounded awesome, but I've got to say that Odesza (who opened for them) really stole the show. They had the entire venue dancing and were full of energy. Little Dragon also came on suuuuuper late; closer to 11, when the doors opened at 7.

Little Dragon know how to throw a party. Great times with lots of bopping and grooving. Sadly there was a group of lads being a bit rowdy but there's no faulting the band, and the Roundhouse is always a great time.