New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Little Dragon returns with their new studio album New Me, Same Us, available physically and digitally on March 27th on
Ninja Tune. Entirely self-produced and recorded at the pioneering Swedish four-piece's long-term home-built studio in Gothenburg, the album is another chapter in the continuing evolution of
Little Dragon. The album's infectious lead single "
Hold On" is a message about breaking away and moving on, and is a slice of classic
Little Dragon awesomeness. "It started out as a slick house track but transformed once Fred played the base through it and we all worked it together," the band explains. "It became something raw and soulful. It's a simple groove that makes us dance. We can't wait to play it live because once we play it live it most certainly will change again." Listen to "
Hold On" below!
Building on their hugely popular and highly-regarded live performances that have spawned a decade-spanning touring career,
Little Dragon is set to kick off their previously announced international headline tour this March. See full tour routing below.
Fronted by enigmatic and much-loved vocalist Yukimi Nagano, with multi-instrumentalists Håkan Wirenstarnd and Fredrik Wallin on keyboards and bass respectively, and Erik Bodin on drums and percussion, the group has played together since their school days in Gothenburg-where they'd meet up after class to jam and listen to records by artists like
A Tribe Called Quest and Alice Coltrane. New Me, Same Us is the sound of the band going back to basics and falling back in love with their instruments to produce some of their most focused and inarguably best music of their career.
"This album has been the most collaborative for us yet, which might sound weird considering we've been making music together for all these years, but we worked hard at being honest, finding the courage to let go of our egos and be pieces of something bigger," they explain. Finding new direction in their unique style of unhurried, off-kilter r'n'b, pop and electronics, they sound as rejuvenated and energized as ever. The record also finds them in a reflective mood with Yukimi's distinctive vocals musing on transitions, longing, and saying goodbye. They note, "We are all on our own personal journeys, full of change, yet still we stand united with stories we believe in, that make us who we are."
The band has a long history of working with boundary-pushing creatives across the worlds of art and design, including Vicki King, Lena Mačka, IB Kamara (i-D, Dazed, Vogue) and
David Uzochukwu (Dior, FKA Twigs, Nike). New Me, Same Us' artwork was produced by award-winning Swedish director, producer, screenwriter and animator Johannes Nyholm, who's shadow puppetry short film Dreams from the Woods was previously used as the music video for
Little Dragon's song "Twice."
For a band who are proudly left-of-centre and fiercely protective of doing things on their own terms, they have achieved no shortage of mainstream recognition. Grammy-nominated for 2014's Nabuma Rubberband,
Little Dragon have long been seen as one of the most sought-after groups to work with. Chalking up an enviable list of collaborators throughout the years, working with equally groundbreaking artists like BADBADNOTGOOD, Gorillaz, SBTRKT, Flying Lotus, Flume, Kaytranada,
Big Boi (who was first put on to the band via fellow
Outkast member André 3000), De La Soul, DJ Shadow, Tinashe, Mac Miller, Future,
Raphael Saadiq,
Faith Evans and more.
'NEW ME, SAME US' TRACK LISTING
1 - Hold On
2 - Rush
3 - Another Lover
4 - Kids
5 - Every Rain
6 - New Fiction
7 - Sadness
8 - Are You
Feeling Sad?
9 - Where You Belong
10 - Stay Right Here
11 - Water
LITTLE DRAGON 2020 TOUR DATES
Mar 09 Stockholm, Sweden - Berns
Mar 10 Copenhagen, Denmark - VEGA *SOLD OUT
Mar 12 Berlin, Germany - Festsaal Kreuzberg
Mar 13 Warsaw, Poland - Niebo
Mar 15 Prague, Czech Republic - Roxy
Mar 16 Vienna, Austria - Flex
Mar 18 Zurich, Switzerland - Mascotte
Mar 19 Milan, Italy - Santeria Toscana 31
Mar 21 Brussels, Belgium - Botanique
Mar 23 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
Mar 25 Paris, France - Gaîté Lyrique
Mar 26 London, UK - 02 Brixton Academy
Apr 15 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Apr 17 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel
Apr 18 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel *SOLD OUT
Apr 20 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Apr 21 New Haven, CT - College Street
Music Hall
Apr 22 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
Apr 24 Montreal, QC -
Corona Theatre
Apr 25 Toronto, ON - Danforth
Music Hall
Apr 27 Detroit, MI - Majestic Theater
Apr 28 Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre
Apr 29 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
May 01 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
May 02 Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
May 04 Seattle, WA - Showbox *SOLD OUT
May 05 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
May 06 Portland, OR - Roseland Theatre
May 08 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
May 09 Los Angeles, CA - Palladium
May 11
Santa Ana, CA - Observatory OC
May 12 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
May 16 Guadalajara, MX -
Corona Capital Guadalajara.
