Crystalfilm by Little Dragon

An eerie sound, almost like that of white noise, radiates from “Crystalfilm” as the song opens. A feeling of numbness accompanies the emerging sound as Little Dragon gains their footing. The beat picks up; soon the heavy bass and synth find their way into the song. A voice utters, “Lost my grip” and the vocals finally burst into the instrumentation. Yukimi Nagano has a voice most women dream of having, capable of being soft as silk, yet slightly rough like velvet, her voice the very embodiment of sexy. Rather than use her voice like a sly temptress luring men away at a whim with barely a whisper, Nagano instead coos softly, “There’s something missing from my memory of you.” Yukimi’s voice contains the sadness and longing known only by those who have suffered heartbreak or the loss of a close friend. “I try to hold on, I try to hold on to you, but you’re gone / Then I try to let go but your memory’s still on”, Nagano’s voice cries out wistfully but is lost amidst the crowded space in the pauses between the beats of the song. “On me”, her voice echoes and I imagine a young man walking through Las Vegas. His eyes gleam not from ambition or excitement, but from the lights and shows created by the clever façade Vegas puts forth. “On me.” I want to dance along but something hold me back. Little Dragon reminds us that synthpop does not have to be upbeat.