MAMI UMAMI have never sounded particularly interested in staying inside the lines, and “(Don’t) think I like you” is another thrilling example of why. The Malmö duo return with a high-energy collision of alt-pop, hip-hop and dance, transforming the complicated emotions of separation into something vibrant, chaotic and deeply cathartic. Produced alongside Alex Lopez, the track captures the strange experience of missing someone intensely while simultaneously trying to convince yourself that you do not need them.
The song moves with an almost restless energy, jumping between hard-hitting rhythms, electronic textures and a synth-driven chorus. Jaquelin Elamiri and Leonard Furby bring a conversational directness to the vocals, allowing the emotional shifts to feel immediate rather than carefully polished. There is anger here, but also humour, frustration, vulnerability and affection, creating a track that refuses to settle into one emotional state.
At its heart, “(Don’t) think I like you” is about the complicated aftermath of having your partner leave for work in another city. Both members of MAMI UMAMI found themselves in the same situation, and the song reportedly emerged in around 20 minutes as they processed the sudden distance. The five stages of grief become musical ingredients, with denial, anger, bargaining and sadness eventually giving way to something resembling acceptance.
The title itself perfectly captures the contradiction. The parentheses suggest that the statement is not quite true, and the song knows it. Beneath the defiance is an enormous amount of love and a very simple desire to be close to someone again. Rather than suppressing that feeling, MAMI UMAMI turn it into a release, using the studio and their friendship as a way to work through emotions that are difficult to articulate.
“(Don’t) think I like you” is another strong demonstration of what makes MAMI UMAMI such an intriguing act. Their music can feel like a club track, a performance piece and an emotional conversation happening simultaneously. After their AFTERwork EP and appearances at festivals including Roskilde and Way Out West, the duo continue to develop a sound where chaos and control coexist. This latest single is messy in all the right ways, and that is precisely what makes it so compelling.
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