‘Machine Dreams’ is the second Little Dragon album, looking to build on the promise of their excellent self-titled debut. This it does by and large, though singer Yukimi Nagano still sounds more at home when the backing is less amplified. This means that the more intimate approach in songs like ‘Feather’ and ‘Thunder Love’ is more appealing than ‘Looking Glass’ – though this does still score plenty of points for being a catchy uptempo number. This album is definitely more experimental, taking the band outside their comfort zone and even embracing P-funk on the upbeat ‘Swimming’, and it has a wider screen production than the first. It’s catchy, too – difficult to get out of your head after a couple of listens, particularly with Nagano’s wonderful voice.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
