The opening synth bars to ‘Cold Water’, the new single by DAME, shout nineties’ house music. For a moment I am curious as to what to expect from the Birmingham indie-pop band. Is this going to be another track inspired by Dua Lipa’s brilliantly retro Future Nostalgia that will pull me to the dance floor? Is this going to be another generic dance track that is more likely to send me to the bar? The answer is neither and, in this instance, that is a good thing.
Undeniably, ‘Cold Water’ is a dance track. However, this isn’t some banal beat generated by an app and blended with an overly repetitive vocal. This is a song crafted by some accomplished musicians and fronted by a strong lead singer in Shannon Farmer. Rather than synthesised bridges and clichéd pace changes, here we get guitar riffs and a singer showcasing her vocal range. There is a real Lisa Stansfield-esque richness to the low notes and a breezy effortlessness to the high notes, which drive the song. As an added bonus, we get some quick fire bass picking which has echoes of Mark King from Level 42.
Like another 2020 track, Miley Cyrus’ fantastic ‘Midnight Sky’, this song is an upbeat call to action for those in a toxic relationship. Shannon sums up the track, “Cold Water is a big middle finger to the toxic person in your life that, until now, you struggled to let go of. It’s a reminder to stop self-sabotaging for the hope that something might change, and instead trying to gain back control.”
With plenty of stories of couples who endured each other through lockdown, ‘Cold Water’ is an anthem for emotional release. For those who identify with the lyrics “giving your ego time to put me down every night” this is for you. Push back the furniture and scream “Get over it” as DAME provide the funk rhythm for your liberation. For the rest, just enjoy the music and don’t forget to check out the bass guitar solo on 2.43!
‘Cold Water’ is set for release on Friday 23rd October.
Words by Andrew Butcher
Check out Andrew’s blog here.