Words by Eva Adorisio

FREEDOM, the second track by the duo DAMEDAME* after their punchy PROMISE, has just been released on Robots + Humans. With a thumping bass and bouncy rhythm that is bound to have your head swaying, not to mention featured vocals by Jorja Smith, this track hits all the right beats.  

DAMEDAME*’s dynamic instrumental fuses flawlessly with the wholeness of Jorja’s voice, a sound the Birmingham-based duo are used to working with, having helped produce and write 11 of the 14 tracks on her album ‘Falling or Flying’. Along with their long-time collaboration with the singer-songwriter, the duo has racked up production credits across records with Tems (Forever), Wizkid (Break Me Down) and METTE.

FREEDOM comes as their third official release, A STRANGER being their debut solo track released back in 2023. The varying textures throughout the track exquisitely show off the duo’s genre-bending style, with classical strings and African drum sounds blending to create a vibrant, yet soulful experience.

We’re eased in gently with sharp sugary vocals and ethereal electric guitar that create a dreamy state, before upbeat drums and the whomping double bass kicks in. The consistent escalation of drums keeps the energy high all the way through, while the slower moments in the track make space for the moody strings.

The track seamlessly merges ambient vocals with a high energy beat in a similar fashion to their last release, but arguably outshines it as it carries a liveliness that you just have to bop to that PROMISE doesn’t quite deliver.

FREEDOM carries a hopeful feel to it and a vigour that makes me excited to see what’s to come. With another track out soon, this new era of genre-defying releases is an exciting evolution for DAMEDAME* and, with their monthly listeners on Spotify having crept up to over 350k, this bold duo is sure to be one to watch.