How ‘We’ve Lost Dancing’ Ironically Got the World Dancing

Fred Again has taken over the world with his unique sound, innovative sampling, and emotional depth, and in the process redefined the modern electronic music scene. With his simplistic sounds, inspired with everyday sounds, he has connected with the audiences on a deep interpersonal level.

Marea (we’ve lost dancing) by Fred Again and The Blessed Madonna was a single released in 2021, and was the ‘golden song’ that shot Fred Again into the limelight. After the massive success of this song on streaming platforms, social media short -video formats and dance radios, he headlined Coachella, Glastonbury, the LA Coliseum and left the world astounded with his musical talents. But what was so special about this song? How did such a simple song create waves as large as those of a pop hit? What did Fred again do differently that made him so special?

We need to break the song down to understand its depth, starting with the lyrics. Marea (we’ve lost dancing) was released in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lyrics are related to how the lockdown put a standstill to the entire sense of community. The lyrics are however not planned and constructed over a long time, but instead are sampled from a normal conversation! The lyrics are from a video call between Fred Again and The Blessed Madonna, wherein she was speaking about her lockdown experience. This normal conversation was recorded and sampled by Fred to be made into a song, and this is what sets this song particularly and Fred Again in general apart. The entire song is sampled from a person talking to a friend, which is creatively reverbed and delayed to create a sense of space and depth, making it feel both intimate and expansive.

It is very rare to see a fusion of dance music with emotional music and to maintain the bouncy vibe, the track features a 4/4-time signature, typical of house music, with a tempo around 125 BPM. The rhythmic structure is built on a steady four-on-the-floor beat, providing a driving yet unobtrusive foundation. The percussion elements are minimalistic, with a focus on kick drum, hi-hats, and claps, creating a danceable groove that supports the vocal and harmonic elements without overpowering them.

Every song has a certain aura to it and it is the pads and synths that have created this unworldly effect to this song, almost like floating. There is a warm, enveloping structure layered with subtle modulation effects, such as chorus and phasing, to add movement and interest. There is a very clear usage of sound effects on the pads, triggered by the kick drum, which creates a pulsing effect that enhances the track's rhythmic drive and gives it a dynamic quality. The use of reverb on the claps adds to the track's spacious feel, almost forcing the body to move with the rhythm and beats.

The breakdown, which is the part wherein there is a sudden change in the instruments, is something that is also unusual and fascinating as it features a stripped-back arrangement, focusing on the vocal sample and pads, creating a moment of introspection before the energy builds back up. The dynamic range is carefully controlled, with subtle automation of volume and effects to maintain interest and drive throughout the track.

The fact that a song can be made from a 3-minute video call conversation, is a testament that music is all around us; everything we say is music that is just not realised and it is geniuses like Fred Again who can make hits out of them. The song gave people hope during those testing times and had them dancing and maybe crying.