Detroit Swindle have changed their name to Dam Swindle

The DJs formerly known as Detroit Swindle have changed their name to Dam Swindle.

The Dutch duo, real names Lars Dales and Maarten Smeets, announced the change on social media, writing: “When we chose the name Detroit Swindle back in 2011, it was done as a homage to the music from the motor city … We added the ‘Swindle’ to make sure people wouldn’t think we were claiming to be from Detroit.

“We never intended to claim ownership over something that was not ours to claim. We’ve always been open about this when people asked us about our name, and we’ve made sure this was stated clearly in our bio. Even though we have always been clear about our intentions, our name has still sparked conversations about cultural appropriation.”

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Their new name references their city where they live, Amsterdam.

The statement adds: “In the past year, we’ve been thinking and talking a lot about our role in the music industry and in society in general and now more than ever, we feel it’s important to realise how our actions come across to others. We want to be reflective, learn about our blind spots and be sensitive to how other people experience and view the world.

“With that, we want to be open to change and want to contribute to the narrative of equality in a positive way: As artists, but above all as human beings. With this in mind, changing our name feels like the least we can do.”

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The change follows on from artists such as The Blessed Madonna and Dave Lee also changing their names this year (from The Black Madonna and Joey Negro respectively) in the wake of criticism for cultural appropriation.

See Dam Swindle’s full statement below.

Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Digital Features Editor, follow him on Twitter

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