Little Dragon may be at the top of the “if you know you know” conversation in alternative music. Uniting with titanic peers like The Gorillaz or KAYTRANADA and stepping into hip-hop for work alongside Mac Miller and J.I.D., few bands hold the impressive resume that the Swedish outfit does. However, following Slugs of Love in 2022, it appears we may be on the precipice of a new Little Dragon era. Lead singer Yukimi Nagano just dropped her first-ever solo single, “Break Me Down,” with scheduled live appearances across the US reportedly set to contain unreleased material from a debut album. Here’s everything you need to know about Yukimi’s new solo turn.
Yukimi Builds A Vulnerable New Sound On Little Dragon Work
There’s intrigue from the jump with this single, largely coming from how it came about. Little Dragon’s drummer Erik Bodin contributes, initially raising the question of how far this solo turn will jump from the band’s main material if half of its members remain. However, UK songwriter Lianne La Havas steps into the mix, balancing out the old & new blood that went into the making of this track.
If there’s one thing that aesthetically sets this burgeoning era apart, it’s a complete lack of any electronic trappings. A consistent heartbeat of analog drums is where this song begins, but dramatic, rock-operatic electric guitar also plays a major role. For her part, Yukimi imparts a trademark triumphant moral over top on “Break Me Down,” promising, “Nothing’s gonna brеak me down / Nothing’s gonna shake, no one’s gonna break me.”
“Break Me Down” is short in runtime and understated in its sonics, but portends well for how Yukimi can expand on her bread & butter under Little Dragon with this (presumably) more personal arc. Stream “Break Me Down” wherever you get your music.
Elsewhere in our coverage, Leon Vynehall – SHELLAC goes a long way in showing why electronic music fans need to be paying attention to the UK producer.
