Machine Dreams

Machine Dreams
Studio album by Little Dragon
Released 17 August 2009 (2009-08-17)
Recorded 2007–09 at Gothenburg, Sweden
Genre
Length 43:52
Label Peacefrog
Producer Little Dragon
Little Dragon chronology
Little Dragon
(2007)Little Dragon2007		 Machine Dreams
(2009)		 Ritual Union
(2011)Ritual Union2011

Machine Dreams is the second studio album by Swedish electronic band Little Dragon. It was released on 17 August 2009 by Peacefrog Records.

Composition

In making Machine Dreams, Little Dragon focused more on making uptempo dance tracks suited for live performances than on ballads like they did on their self-titled debut album.[1][2] Group vocalist Yukimi Nagano described the sound and stlye of Machine Dreams as more "anonymous," electronic and pop-infused than the "naked" sound of their debut.[3][2] The title of Machine Dreams refers to its instrumentation and sound palette, which is a combination of organic and analog sounds with digitally-produced sonic textures, "machines that sound human with humans playing machine-like parts" in the words of journalist Tim Chester.[4] Allmusic reviewer Andy Kellman described the LP's instrumentation as consisting of "rubbery rhythms and liquid synthesizer patterns,"[5] while reviewer Patric Fallon compared it to the works of Prince, The Knife and Tom Tom Club.[6]

Cover art

Japanese artist Hideyuki Katsumata, whom the group met via MySpace, was responsible for making the cover art of Machine Dreams.[2] Nagano explained, "We had a mutual respect for each other’s work and we found that his expression really added something to our sound. We love him!"[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic74/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[5]
Drowned in Sound6/10[8]
Loud and Quiet3/10[9]
Mojo[7]
The Phoenix[10]
Pitchfork7.7/10[11]
Popmatters7/10[12]
Spin7/10[13]
URB[14]
XLR8R7/10[6]

Machine Dreams garnered very favorable reviews upon its release. Chester, reviewing for Wondering Sound, called it a "more refined version" of Little Dragon's debut record.[4] Kellman praised the album as an "[electric] quiet storm, deceptively intense and even sensual."[5]

In a less enthusiastic review, Loud and Quiet critic Tom Goodwyn described Machines Dream as "slick, efficient pop music," writing that "each song flows beautifully into the next, driven by an equally infectious keyboard groove and comes in a perfect pop song length."[9] However, he also criticized the record for not taking any chances, labeling the lyrical content as "throwaway" and overall calling the LP "cold, vacuum packed and devoid of heart and soul."[9]

Track listing

All tracks written by Little Dragon.

No.TitleLength
1."A New"4:02
2."Looking Glass"4:55
3."My Step"3:27
4."Feather"4:53
5."Thunder Love"3:54
6."Never Never"3:37
7."Runabout"4:22
8."Swimming"3:38
9."Blinking Pigs"3:39
10."Come Home"4:13
11."Fortune"3:12

Personnel

Release history

Country Date Label Format
United Kingdom 17 August 2009[16][19] Peacefrog Records LP, digital download
31 August 2009[20] CD
Sweden 9 September 2009[15][21] CD, digital download
Germany 16 October 2009[17][22] CD, LP, digital download
Japan 28 October 2009[23][24] Village Again Records CD, digital download
United States 3 November 2009[18][25] Peacefrog Records CD, LP, digital download
Australia 26 November 2010[26] EMI CD, digital download

References

  1. ↑ Gao, Boyuan. "Little Dragon". Beyond Race Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 February 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Yeah, Kevin (14 December 2009). "Interview: Little Dragon". Juice. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  3. ↑ Freeman, John (14 December 2010). "Escape Velocity: Fruit Coming To Flower: Little Dragon Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  4. 1 2 Chester, Tim (19 August 2009). "Little Dragon, Machine Dreams". Wondering Sound. eMusic. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Kellman, Andy. "Machine Dreams – Little Dragon". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  6. 1 2 Fallon, Patric (14 January 2010). "Little Dragon Machine Dreams". XLR8R. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Machine Dreams – Little Dragon". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  8. ↑ Grant, William (1 September 2009). "Little Dragon – Machine Dreams". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 Goodwyn, Tom (August 2009). "Albums". Loud and Quiet. 3 (8): 36. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  10. ↑ Brockman, Daniel (25 August 2009). "Little Dragon | Machine Dreams". The Phoenix. Phoenix Media/Communications Group. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  11. ↑ Perpetua, Matthew (16 November 2009). "Little Dragon: Machine Dreams". Pitchfork. Conde Nast. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  12. ↑ Hung, Estella (31 August 2009). "Little Dragon: Machine Dreams". PopMatters. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  13. ↑ Reeves, Mosi (23 December 2009). "Little Dragon, 'Machine Dreams' (Peacefrog)". Spin. Spin Media LLC. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  14. ↑ "Little Dragon – Machine Dreams (Review)". URB. 29 November 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  15. 1 2 "Machine Dreams (Bonus Track Version) by Little Dragon". iTunes Store Sweden. Apple Inc. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  16. 1 2 "Machine Dreams (Bonus Track Version) by Little Dragon". iTunes Store UK. Apple Inc. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  17. 1 2 ""Machine Dreams (Bonus Track Version)" von Little Dragon" (in German). iTunes Store Germany. Apple Inc. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  18. 1 2 "Machine Dreams by Little Dragon". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  19. ↑ "Peacefrog : Releases : Machine Dreams". Peacefrog Records. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  20. ↑ "Little Dragon: Machine Dreams". HMV. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  21. ↑ "Machine Dreams – Little Dragon" (in Swedish). CDON.se. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  22. ↑ "Machine Dreams: Little Dragon" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  23. ↑ "LITTLE DRAGON" (in Japanese). Village Again Records. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  24. ↑ "Little Dragon「Machine Dreams」" (in Japanese). iTunes Store Japan. Apple Inc. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  25. ↑ "Machine Dreams: Little Dragon". Amazon.com. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  26. ↑ "Little Dragon Store – Machine Dreams". Getmusic. Universal Music Australia. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
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