Music
Reviewed: Little Dragon @ Somerset House, London
Named Little Dragon after singer Yukimi Nagano’s fiery temperament, the Swedish band’s gig for the last night of the annual Somerset House series certainly got off to a dramatic start, with thunder and lightning framing the notable building and heavy showers persisting most of the evening.
Still, the spirit of the group, and the crowds themselves could not be dampened – from the slow-burning bass-heavy opening number ‘Mirror’ to the spangly synth of ‘Pretty Girls’, the poncho-clad audience did not stop moving.
Leading them was Nagano in a glittered top and leggings, complete with facial gems, a tambourine and robotic on-stage dance moves. Nagano’s distinctive vocals and Zen-like presence on stage added an ethereal element to the electronica-heavy set list.
The repertoire spanned the Scandinavian group’s four albums, and it was clear that their sound has developed from the spacious, sombre R&B of debut album Machine Dreams, into a bolder, more dance-orientated movement for their latest record Nabuma Rubberband.
These new tracks carried well across Somerset House’s historical courtyard, transforming the neo-classical space into a mini outdoor rave of sorts, complete with light show and lasers. With its Sunday night slot and outdoor location, the evening definitely had the feel of a euphoric festival headline performance, leaving the crowd wanting more.
Reaching a thrilling climax with the thundering drums and bass line of final track ‘Underbart’, the Scandi quartet pared back their sound for the encore, raising the biggest cheer of the night with ‘Twice’, the band’s first single and a return to their trip-hop roots.
Little Dragon are an enigma of sorts, having been together 15 years and launched into the public eye with their commercially viable 2011 album Ritual Union, they are yet to experience proper, mainstream success. Based on Sunday’s blinding performance however, this can’t be far out of their grasp.
Little Dragon is part of the stellar line-up for this year’s Summer Series at Somerset House with American Express®, just one example of the enriched entertainment experiences available to Cardmembers. For more insider information from some of the UK’s most sought after events visit here.
