Machine Dreams
| Machine Dreams | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Little Dragon | ||||
| Released | 17 August 2009 | |||
| Recorded | 2007–09 at Gothenburg, Sweden | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 43:52 | |||
| Label | Peacefrog | |||
| Producer | Little Dragon | |||
| Little Dragon chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 74/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Drowned in Sound | 6/10 |
| Loud and Quiet | 3/10 |
| Mojo | |
| The Phoenix |  |
| Pitchfork | 7.7/10 |
| Popmatters | 7/10 |
| Spin | 7/10 |
| URB | |
| XLR8R | 7/10 |
Machine Dreams is the second studio album by Swedish electronic band Little Dragon. It was released on 17 August 2009 by Peacefrog Records.
In making Machine Dreams, Little Dragon focused more on making uptempo dance tracks suited for live performances than on ballads like they did on their self-titled debut album. Group vocalist Yukimi Nagano described the sound and stlye of Machine Dreams as more "anonymous," electronic and pop-infused than the "naked" sound of their debut. The title of Machine Dreams refers to its instrumentation and sound palette, which is a combination of organic and analog sounds with digitally-produced sonic textures, "machines that sound human with humans playing machine-like parts" in the words of journalist Tim Chester.Allmusic reviewer Andy Kellman described the LP's instrumentation as consisting of "rubbery rhythms and liquid synthesizer patterns," while reviewer Patric Fallon compared it to the works of Prince, The Knife and Tom Tom Club.
Japanese artist Hideyuki Katsumata, whom the group met via MySpace, was responsible for making the cover art of Machine Dreams. Nagano explained, "We had a mutual respect for each other’s work and we found that his expression really added something to our sound. We love him!"
Machine Dreams garnered very favorable reviews upon its release. Chester, reviewing for Wondering Sound, called it a "more refined version" of Little Dragon's debut record. Kellman praised the album as an "[electric] quiet storm, deceptively intense and even sensual."
In a less enthusiastic review, Loud and Quiet critic Tom Goodwyn described Machines Dream as "slick, efficient pop music," writing that "each song flows beautifully into the next, driven by an equally infectious keyboard groove and comes in a perfect pop song length." However, he also criticized the record for not taking any chances, labeling the lyrical content as "throwaway" and overall calling the LP "cold, vacuum packed and devoid of heart and soul."
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