PREDICTABLY from a band named after a mythical sulphurous creature, and hailing from Sweden, this is an album of fire and ice.
At times it flames. Such sizzlers are Klapp, Klapp, a bouncing beat-bomb to entice even the least mobile bod on to the dance-floor; Paris, which is underpinned by the keyboard style of early Basildon posse otherwise known as Depeche Mode; and the infectious Pink Cloud, which emerges from a hypnotic intro akin to the Beatles’ Revolution 9 off the White album.
All 12 songs are layered, sweet and neat, backed by a coolness that is eminently catchy. But for all the lush orchestration, it is the voice of lead singer Yukimi Nagano that evokes a depth-charge edge.
At times she can sound as breathily menacing as Portishead’s Beth Gibbons, particularly on opener Mirror and the floaty Cat Rider.
Then, on Pretty Girls and title track there’s a hint of the terrain you’d hoped Michael Jackson would have sashayed into before the grim reaper’s intervention. Little Dragon – big sound.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here