Machine Dreams Explained

Machine Dreams
Type:studio
Artist:Little Dragon
Cover:Little Dragon - Machine Dreams.png
Recorded:2007–2009 in Gothenburg, Sweden
Genre:
Label:Peacefrog
Producer:Little Dragon
Prev Title:Little Dragon
Prev Year:2007
Next Title:Ritual Union
Next Year:2011

Machine Dreams is the second studio album by Swedish electronic music 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.[3] [4] Vocalist Yukimi Nagano described the sound and style of Machine Dreams as more "anonymous", electronic and pop-infused than the "naked" sound of their debut.[4] [5] The album's title 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. AllMusic reviewer Andy Kellman described the LP's instrumentation as consisting of "rubbery rhythms and liquid synthesizer patterns", while Patric Fallon of XLR8R compared it to the works of Prince, The Knife and Tom Tom Club.

Cover art

Japanese artist Hideyuki Katsumata, whom the group met via Myspace, was responsible for making the cover art of Machine Dreams.[4] 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!"[4]

Critical reception

Machine Dreams received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 74, based on 10 reviews.[6]

Tim Chester of Wondering Sound viewed it as a "more refined version" of Little Dragon's debut album.[7] Andy Kellman of AllMusic praised the album as an "[electric] quiet storm, deceptively intense and even sensual."[8]

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." However, he also criticized the record for not taking any chances, labeling the lyrical content as "throwaway" and overall calling the album "cold, vacuum packed and devoid of heart and soul."[9]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Machine Dreams.[10]

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
United Kingdom17 August 2009Peacefrog[11] [12]
31 August 2009CD[13]
Sweden9 September 2009[14] [15]
Germany16 October 2009[16] [17] [18]
Japan28 October 2009Village Again[19] [20]
United States3 November 2009Peacefrog[21] [22] [23]
Australia26 November 2010EMI[24]

Notes and References

  1. Hermes . Will . Will Hermes . Ritual Union . . 26 July 2011 . 11 August 2018.
  2. Web site: Chun . Kimberly . Little Dragon: Swedish band feels the love in U.S. . . 3 February 2011 . 11 August 2018.
  3. Web site: Gao . Boyuan . Little Dragon . . 15 April 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100222051621/http://beyondrace.com/articles/features/2288-little-dragon . 22 February 2010.
  4. Web site: Yeoh . Kevin . Interview: Little Dragon . Juice . 14 December 2009 . 15 April 2017.
  5. Web site: Freeman . John . Fruit Coming To Flower: Little Dragon Interviewed . . 14 December 2010 . 15 April 2017.
  6. Web site: Reviews for Machine Dreams by Little Dragon . . 11 August 2018.
  7. Web site: Chester . Tim . Little Dragon, Machine Dreams . . 19 August 2009 . 15 April 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150602034316/http://www.wonderingsound.com/review/little-dragon-machine-dreams/ . 2 June 2015 . dead.
  8. Web site: Kellman . Andy . Machine Dreams – Little Dragon . AllMusic . 11 August 2018.
  9. Goodwyn . Tom . Albums . . 3 . 8 . August 2009 . 36 . 2049-9892 . 14 April 2017 . issuu.
  10. Machine Dreams . liner notes . . Peacefrog Records . 2009 . PFG134CD.
  11. Web site: Machine Dreams (Bonus Track Version) by Little Dragon . iTunes Store (UK) . 17 August 2009 . 20 November 2011.
  12. Web site: Peacefrog : Releases : Machine Dreams . . 20 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110721151225/http://www.peacefrog.com/releases/machine-dreams . 21 July 2011.
  13. Web site: Little Dragon: Machine Dreams . . 20 November 2011 . https://archive.today/20120711162742/http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;1;-1;-1;-1&sku=39701 . 11 July 2012.
  14. Web site: Machine Dreams (Bonus Track Version) by Little Dragon . iTunes Store (Sweden) . 17 August 2009 . 20 November 2011.
  15. Web site: Machine Dreams – Little Dragon . CDON.com (Sweden) . Swedish . 20 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121007061106/http://cdon.se/musik/little_dragon/machine_dreams-6984353 . 7 October 2012.
  16. Web site: Machine Dreams (Bonus Track Version) von Little Dragon . iTunes Store (Germany) . 17 August 2009 . German . 20 November 2011.
  17. Web site: Machine Dreams: Little Dragon . Amazon (Germany) . German . 11 August 2018.
  18. Web site: Machine Dreams [Vinyl LP]

    Little Dragon ]

    . Amazon (Germany) . German . 11 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100818211132/https://www.amazon.de/Machine-Dreams-Vinyl-Little-Dragon/dp/B002G1X2YW . 18 August 2010.
  19. Web site: Little Dragon . Village Again Records . Japanese . 20 November 2011 . 20 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171020152253/http://v-again.co.jp/artist/little-dragon.html . dead .
  20. Web site: Little Dragon「Machine Dreams」 . iTunes Store (Japan) . Japanese . 20 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140617082126/https://itunes.apple.com/jp/album/machine-dreams/id335938363 . 17 June 2014.
  21. Web site: Machine Dreams by Little Dragon . iTunes Store (US) . 20 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110822080520/http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/machine-dreams/id388076113 . 22 August 2011.
  22. Web site: Machine Dreams: Little Dragon . Amazon (US) . 11 August 2018.
  23. Web site: Machine Dreams (Vinyl): Little Dragon . Amazon (US) . 11 August 2018.
  24. Web site: Little Dragon Store – Machine Dreams . Getmusic (Australia) . 20 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111217110103/http://getmusic.com.au/littledragon/store/detail?id=116166 . 17 December 2011.

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