Dancing through a break-up with alt-pop duo MAMI UMAMI & their single “(Don’t) think I like you”

“(Don’t) think I like you” feels like the sound of trying to dance your way through a breakup you’re not quite ready to admit is a breakup. From the first beat, I’m pulled into its restless energy, as MAMI UMAMI turn the complicated emotions of separation into something sharp, sweaty and surprisingly euphoric. What I like most is the tension at the heart of the track. The darker verses capture that initial sense of loss, while the synth-heavy choruses push everything towards the dancefloor. It’s angry, playful and vulnerable at the same time, with the parentheses in the title perfectly capturing that contradiction - pretending not to care while caring deeply. Over the past year, I’ve also noticed MAMI UMAMI becoming increasingly confident in their ability to blur the lines between pop, hip-hop, club and electronic music. Their sound feels bigger and more instinctive than it did around their 2024 debut, Söndagsångest, while still retaining that sense of controlled chaos that makes them distinctive. Following the AFTERwork EP, this feels like another step forward. “(Don’t) think I like you” shows a duo embracing emotional messiness without losing their sense of fun and that combination makes them hard to ignore.