Backyard Galaxy EP

Dam Swindle’s new ‘Backyard Galaxy’ EP is an ode to house music and the classic Swindle sound. 

It’s only been a few months since Dam Swindle released their highly acclaimed album “Open” and already the boys are back on Heist with a new release that takes you right back to the dancefloor. Where they’ve spent the better part of the last 3 years writing their album with all its sonic explorations and collabs, this new EP sees the duo return to their roots of club-ready house music. The ‘Backyard Galaxy’ EP comes with 4 high-energy house tracks made in their Amsterdam studio that have been road-tested all summer.

EP opener “Feel it much?” has all the ingredients of a classic Swindle heater, with warm pads, rich organic percussion and tons of soul. There’s a simple and effective vocal running throughout the track that blends nicely with the classic house elements and electronic textures that are layered throughout the track. There’s an effortless flow to this track and it comes as no surprise that it has been a highlight in their sets this summer. 

The EP title track ‘Backyard Galaxy’ is an up-tempo Latin-themed jam with a hint of old school techno.  The synth stabs hit you just right and the modulated vocal chops are a lovely boost for the build ups and add a touch of swing to a track that already has a tight  groove. Add to that a huge breakdown and drum roll and you’ve got yourself a track that’ll light up any dancefloor.

On the flip, we’re moving into garage territory with the shuffling vibes of ‘Rhythm Baby’. The current popularity of the genre is not missed on Dam Swindle, but when you look closely, you’ll see this track is full of elements that the duo have built their legacy on. The vocal chops, transposed key samples and swing are all on point and work just as well below, as above 130 bpm if speed is your thing.

The EP closes with the NY-style house cut ‘What you give’, which reminds us of Dam Swindle’s remix of Cinthie’s Heist hit ‘Won’t U take me’ with its lush organs and moody keys. It’s perhaps the most classic house track they’ve made in a long time and you can hear they had a great time recording this. It’s playful, vibey and catchy. Just the way we like it.  

Dam Swindle might have delivered one of the standout cross-over albums of 2025, but on this EP the message is clear: Once a househead, always a househead.

As always, enjoy the music and play it loud! 

Much love, 
Heist HQ  

Buy here!

Feel it much?

Rhythm baby

What you give

Backyard galaxy EP

Backyard galaxy

It was in 2011 that Dutch pair Lars Dales and Maarten Smeets quickly broke through in the electronic music scene. Since then they have become known for their widescreen approach to making and playing club-ready grooves. From deep to disco, tech to soul, they join the dots between the past and the present with their own sense of storytelling and do so in clubs around the world, as well as in their studio. House might be the root of the Dam Swindle sound, but it takes nourishment from a much wider world of music. 

Still now, their breakthrough tunes such as ‘The Wrap Around’ and ‘The Break Up’ receive countless plays on dancefloors all over the world and the duo has made timeless music such as their 2023 disco-house bomb ‘ That’s right’ and 90’s throwback banger ‘Allright – just a tribute’ that became one of the hits of the 2024 festival summer. Dam Swindle has built a trademark sound, while still evolving and maturing their craft in various musical niches. Their landmark 2018 album High Life shows a broad musicality from the duo and this is even more so on their highly anticipated 2025 long player ‘Open’.  ‘Open’ features countless collaborations with high-profile artists such as Dutch pianist Joep Beving and New York-based Ethiopian vocalist Haile Supreme, and sees the duo flex their sound from ambient electronica to synthwave, hiphouse and more. 

Since 2013, the pair has also established their record label Heist Recordings as one of the key independent labels for underground dance music, while also releasing music on other underground mainstays such as Aus Music and Classic Music Company. Heist is more than just a label, though - it is a breeding ground for talents old and new; somewhere talent is nurtured and allowed to develop. Label showcases and special projects such as the yearly Roundup EP; where all artists from the past 12 months remix each other after a random selection process, furthers the family vibe and helps Heist stand out from crowd. Artists such as Cinthie, DJ Sneak, Crackazat, Tesfa Williams, Makèz, Pépé Bradock, Matthew Herbert, Ge-Ology, Byron the Aquarius and many more have all contributed, proving that it is a place for unrestrained creatives to be free with their own sonic visions. The label looks as good as it sounds, too, thanks to visual artist Bas Koopmans's standout artwork designs. 
 
Proof of Dam Swindle's widescreen approach to production is their long and talented list of collaborators, which includes the likes of acclaimed musician Tom Misch, US talent Seven Davis Jr., instrumental collective Jungle by Night, plus Marc de Clive-Lowe, Jitwam and Lorenz Rhode. Next to their own originals, a broad spectrum of artists have asked Dam Swindle for some of their special remix magic: on labels like Strut and Soundway they have reworked the legendary Pat Thomas, aka the ‘Golden voice of Africa,' and gave his single ‘Yamona’ a contemporary electronic edge, as well as The Mauskovic Dance Band’s track ‘Space Drum Machine’ and plenty more artists like Kerri Chandler, Mayer Hawthorne and Tom Misch. As their talent for bridging genres from all over the world continues to attract global attention, high-profile projects keep rolling in from all points on the musical globe. 

Dam Swindle are famously avid collectors of both old and new records, and it shows in their DJ sets, which keep you on your toes as they move freely through the broad world of house music with skillfully blended moods of soulful techno, acid, breaks, disco and more, all to create those special moments that crowds never forget. It is for that reason that their name has become a real stamp of authority and invention in the dance music world. Whatever they do, then, this pair do with irresistible charm.