Review: DMA’S – ‘Criminals’; A Bold and Successful Experiment

Having originated from Sydney, Australia, DMA’S have created a large following within the United Kingdom through their Britpop sound, with anthemic ‘Lay Down’, or sing-along, slow, crowd pleaser ‘In the Air’. For their third album The Glow however, DMA’S decided indie anthems were not how they wanted their sound to be defined as, and have switched to club anthems. ‘Criminals’ is a perfect example of their evolving career.

The song heavily focuses on creating an atmosphere for the listener; the opening minute creates a slow and mellow vibe which can be associated to a number of DMA’s songs with frontman Tommy O Dell’s soft and gentle voice. Once that minute is over though, the song changes completely to a dance-fuelled pop party anthem. The music video also highlights the emphasis on a new atmosphere for DMA’s through its use of lighting and colours, resembling that of a nightclub or party.

The change in direction by DMA’S on ‘Criminals’ is definitely a bold but successful experiment. It has kept the core of DMA’s true to itself with O’Dell’s soft soothing voice, a slow build up and simple but memorable lyrics. However, it also adds a new layer to the band. I’m excited to see how it’s executed live with all the electronic sounds added, or whether they will play it stripped back.

‘Criminals’ is available to listen to now via I OH YOU.