Nabuma Rubberband

Album: Nabuma Rubberband (2014)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is the title track of Little Dragon's fourth studio album. Vocalist Yukimi Nagono explained to The Sun why the record's name marries a common Ugandan girls' first name with an office supply item. "Nabuma is an African/Ugandian name and the name of a girl who do guys met a long time ago. She was a strong character. And I was singing the chorus to that song 'Blinded by the Rubberband.'"

    "It became the working title and when we were working on our album artwork, we saw a painting by Chinese artist Li Wel, who took a picture of his daughter," she continued. "That with the name Nabuma Rubberband felt right."
  • Vocalist Yukimi Nagono told NME this song has, "a little bit of an end-of-the-world feeling, but it's still very sweet. I really like that feeling; it makes you want to close your eyes and groove to it but at the same time it's kind of dystopian."
  • Nagano explained to NME why they decided, at the drop of hat to get the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in to add some strings for the record. "We said on Tuesday, 'Let's have a string quartet,' and then on Friday they were here and we were arranging it all," she said. "It was pretty fun, having the time to be spontaneous with things."
  • Nagano told The Guardian about the songwriting for Nabuma Rubberband. "Certain songs you think about, you scratch your head and it takes time to finish them," she said. "With other songs, it's like, 'Pow! Pow! Pow!' There's something you need to get off your chest, and this album has a mix of those types of songs. It's more melancholic and reflective but I don't think it's depressing."

    "As a band, we share values," Nagano added, "on things like the environment and Palestine – and some songs, like the title track and 'Pink Cloud,' reflect on those issues in some vague way."

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