After a seven-year wait, Amsterdam’s deep house duo Dam Swindle has released their new album, Open, on May 30, 2025, via their own label, Heist Recordings. This new 14-track record is their most personal and exploratory work to date, showcasing a creative shift beyond their signature deep house sound.
During a break from touring, members Maarten Smeets and Lars Dales took time for self-reflection. This period of personal growth is reflected in the album’s sound, which moves into new territory with lower tempos, synthwave, hip-house, and ambient music. The duo intentionally shed the pressure of creating dancefloor hits to allow themselves to tell personal stories through their music.
The album masterfully balances their classic four-to-the-floor energy on tracks like “The Present Is Always Perfect,” “I Need You,” and “Is This Love?” with more atmospheric and introspective pieces. The opener “Home” sets a dreamy tone, while “It’s Okay, I Can Wait” and other piano-driven tracks offer a reflective mood previously unheard from the duo.
Since its founding in 2013, Heist Recordings has been more than just a home for Dam Swindle’s music. The label has become a platform for like-minded artists in the underground house and electronic music scenes. Maarten and Lars have a knack for A&R, using the label to balance old-school house aesthetics with fresh, innovative sounds.
Open is a culmination of Dam Swindle’s musical journey so far. It’s a reflective and uplifting listening experience that showcases their growth both as musicians and as individuals. The album is equally at home in a club as it is during a quiet night in, making it a must-listen for fans of both deep house and experimental electronic music.
You can stream or purchase Open on major platforms and directly support the release through Heist Recordings’ channels.
Heist Recordings
