The band debuted in 2006 with the "Test" single on the Scandinavian Off the Wall label, naming themselves after Nagano's nickname that she received for throwing tantrums while recording. The following year, Little Dragon signed with the larger British indie Peacefrog Records (Nouvelle Vague, etc.) for their self-titled debut album released in 2007. Its opening song, the hushed ballad "Twice," was featured during the 2008-2009 season of Grey's Anatomy. Later in 2009, the group released Machine Dreams, which showed new wave inspiration through bigger hooks.

After Little Dragon collaborated on recordings by Gorillaz (Plastic Beach), TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek (Maximum Balloon), SBTRKT (SBTRKT), and Big Boi (Vicious Lies & Dangerous Rumours), the band released a third album, Ritual Union, written and recorded during gaps in their schedule as worldwide support for Gorillaz. The record exposed them to a wider audience, charting in both the U.S. and the U.K. In 2012 the band, exhausted from touring, decided to take some time out to record their next album at their own studio space in Gothenburg. For the recording, they drew musical influences from Prince to Janet Jackson and claimed that the dark and cold Swedish winter played a part in shaping their sound. Preceded by the singles "Klapp Klapp," "Paris," and "Let Go," Nabuma Rubberband was released in 2014. ~ Stewart Mason & James Pearce