Little Dragon, the Grammy-nominated Swedish band, will release a new album on Ninja Tune.

Consisting of school friends Erik Bodin (drums and percussion), Fredrik Wallin (bass), Håkan Wirenstarnd (keyboards), and Yukimi Nagano (vocals), Little Dragon have become one of the most loved bands on the Ninja Tune label.

Recorded in their Gothenburg studio, the same studio they have worked in for almost 20 years, on Slugs of Love they bring their distinctive blend of soulful pop, electronics, and R&B, all underpinned by lead singer Yukimi’s vocals. The record features a guest turn from Damon Albarn on “Glow” and a collaboration with East Atlanta rapper JID, who is signed with J. Cole’s Dreamville label.

The band’s previous album, New Me, Same Us, landed on Ninja Tune in 2020.

Released today alongside the announcement is new single “Kenneth,” a soulful, lo-fi tribute to a childhood friend. “It’s about friendship and love,” the band explain, “and the dirt of getting caught in bitterness and taking the wrong turn mentally.”

The band have once again teamed up with animation studio for a video to accompany the track.

Tracklisting

01. Amöban
02. Frisco
03. Slugs of Love
04. Disco Dangerous
05. Lily’s Call
06. Stay (feat. JID)
07. Gold
08. Kenneth
09. Glow (feat. Damon Albarn)
10. Tumbling Dice
11. Easy Falling

Slugs of Love LP is scheduled for July 7 release. Meanwhile, you can stream “Kenneth” in full via the player below and pre-order the album here.

Photo: Delali Ayivi