The second album from Little Dragon saw them shift to a more fully electronic sound with this highly competent collection of charismatic electro-pop, synthetic soul and futurist R’n’B, characterised by carefully programmed synth textures, a highly efficient, interlocking rhythm section interwoven with drums, bass and keys and of course Yukimi Nagono’s singular smokey vocals. 

There are plenty of retro flourishes; “Feather” fully engages with Madonna “Holiday”-era synth-pop with its Moog-ish bassline and swirling Roland synth chords, “My Step” has that synth-lite feel of early Depeche Mode, while the growling synth bass, buoyant synth flurries, digi-keys and clinical percussion of “Never Never” all slot together perfectly to produce a much fresher, updated electronic pop/soul sound, clean efficient yet warmly emotive. 

Sometimes playful and light, often introspective and yearning, Machine Dreams’ highly scrubbed digi-funk and avant-R’n’B is the sound of a band who’ve invented a highly specific, sultry and endearing sub-genre and then perfected it.