Rather than lie dormant after the 2017 release of fifth album Season High, Little Dragon continued to crank out non-album singles well into 2018, including one-off collaborations with Faith Evans and BadBadNotGood. Synchronized for release on the weekend they appeared at Tyler, the Creator's Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival in Los Angeles, Lover Chanting -- the band's first release for underground stalwarts Ninja Tune -- maintained the productivity with three new songs. "Lover Chanting" itself is the closest Little Dragon have hewed to boogie, the midtempo and electronics-enhanced post-disco style of R&B perfected from 1981-1983. Erik Bodin and Yukimi Nagano trade the mike in romantic pursuit over a bounding rhythm ideal for a cross-generational DJ set filled with tracks like Advance's "Take Me to the Top" and Metro Area's "Atmosphrique." The two other cuts aren't as energized but are almost as appealing, most likely to connect with those who were enticed by Nagano's slyly soul-powered performances on the first album. "Timothy," a comparatively subtle number, contains another melodic, spring-loaded bassline, while "In My House" is even more understated and nuanced, a pacific dub-pop slow jam. (The digital edition adds an edit of the title track.)
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