It’s been over a week since Little Dragon dropped their new album, Ritual Union, and I’m beside myself that I’ve taken this long to write up a little something about it, having fallen for first single “Nighlight” back in May.

The Swedish band gets categorized as electropop, but Ritual Union offers a deeper listening experience than the genre suggests. Synths are certainly involved, with atmospheric burbles, textural rumbles, and metallic clanks employed to flirtatious effect on these 11 tracks. But it’s frontwoman Yukimi Nagano’s soulful delivery that makes such FutureSex so rewarding. She sounds like Smokey Robinson on the rubber-rhythm of “Shuffle A Dream,” adopts Prince’s falsetto for “Precious,” and achieves a Sade vibe on “When I Go Out.” The sum of Little Dragon’s Ritual Union is captivating Sci-Fi R&B, with Nagano as lead shapeshifter.

My favorite song on Ritual Union is “Crystalfilm,” its syncopated Motown beat crying out for some low-crouch choreography and finger-snapping. My only quibble is the intro, thirty seconds of electronic hum that might make the unaware skip past the track entirely. Hear here:

If you’re into visual sorts of things, Little Dragon has released a music video for the aforementioned “When I Go Out.” It’s trippy (and perhaps more than a little headache-inducing):

Purchase Little Dragon – Ritual Union via iTunes. And don’t miss the Ritual Union EP, featuring remixes by Maya Jane Coles, Tensnake, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra (who released a music video for their “Little Blu House” today).