Bleep

Tangled in romantic threads and clamouring for love in all forms, Slugs of Love is the seventh album from Little Dragon. The band are on top form with their distinct blend of wonky, funky, kaleidoscopic R&B and pop, but here they branch out into retro, sci fi tinged dramas, syncopated synth funk, and cinematic epics in an ode to the sluggish, slimy desperation of love and connection.

From the intricacies of intimate, longterm relationships to meta musings on the very act of releasing music, and anxiously awaiting the response, Little Dragon don't shy away from honest material on this one, wrapping it all up in a tantalising accessible package. “Welcome, we’re gonna whistle a little melody for you,” Yukimi Nagano nonchalantly introduces us, woozily wading through low end chords and thuds, spreading and shaping like “the amoeba” over crisp organic breaks. Meanwhile, a grungy bassline snakes in on the titular 'Slugs of Love', yelping and whispering about ecstasy over speeding rhythms.

Angular metallic synths are woven with poppy melody on 'Stay', a breath of fresh air with a harmonious, clear-skied verse from JID. 'Kenneth' signals grey clouds, its radio wave filtered crunchy drums and jazzy bass plucks taking a lofi passage to the rippling waves of 'Glow'. Percussion bobs in a sea of synths, a duet between Damon Albarn and Yukimi Nagano with vocals echoing out to the horizon as she sings, "I'm ready to cast away". Try to imagine Little Dragon on a happy hardcore beat and you're close to the euphoria driven guitars and choppy drums of 'Tumbling Dice', a last hurrah before the album's wistful ending.

Only Little Dragon could deliver a pop album inspired by the complex mating dance of leopard slugs; almost 20 years into their career and they can make an irresistible groove out of anything.