Music Review

 

BROTHER BEATS: CHAMELEONE AND PALLASO DROP A DEM BOW BANGER THAT'S BOTH NOSTALGIC AND NOW

Chameleone and Pallaso reunite over a classic dem bow beat to deliver a nostalgic-yet-fresh dancehall banger that proves Ugandan music can still surprise. A brotherly collaboration that blends fire, melody, and club energy.

By Joseph Batte

State of the Arts Uganda

There’s something about this new Chameleone and Pallaso collaboration that hits differently. Maybe it’s the dem bow rhythm pulsing beneath the track — a beat that defined 90s dancehall and ruled clubs from Kingston to Kampala. Or maybe it's the chemistry — that unspoken fire between two brothers who know how to fight, forgive, and fire up a crowd in equal measure.

From the first seconds, the song throws you back to the golden age of dancehall. It’s gritty and bouncy, the kind of beat that could have easily belonged to Shabba Ranks or Buju Banton in their heyday. But instead of sounding dated, the brothers infuse it with a freshness that feels perfectly timed for today’s club scene. It’s a smart move — a bold nod to the past while keeping one foot firmly planted in the now.

Chameleone, with his textured, almost gravelly voice, delivers his lines with the swagger of a man who has nothing left to prove. His vocal presence still commands attention — it slices through the mix with authority. Then Pallaso steps in, softer and more melodic, like sugar to balance the spice. Their voices are different, yet complementary, like tension and release, fire and honey. You can tell they’re brothers not just by blood, but by rhythm.

Lyrically, the track won’t be winning any poetry awards. It’s simple, repetitive, and rooted in the usual Ugandan themes — love, seduction, celebration. But that’s not a flaw. This isn’t a track meant for deep reflection. It’s built for movement. For dance. For late nights and sweaty dancefloors and DJs who know just when to drop the beat.

Still, it raises an interesting question: do all Ugandan songs sound the same? There’s certainly a pattern — familiar chord progressions, repeated hooks, and the widespread use of Afro-dancehall templates. Producers tend to stick to what works, and what works gets recycled. But every now and then, someone takes that same formula and injects it with something more — nostalgia, personality, surprise. This song is one of those moments.

Despite following the familiar path, this track stands out. The dem bow beat gives it a vintage twist, while the brothers’ vocal chemistry keeps things engaging. It’s not trying to be revolutionary — it’s trying to be a vibe. And it absolutely is.

You won’t remember the lyrics the next morning, but your legs will remember how they moved. Your mind will remember that feeling of being caught between yesterday’s rhythm and today’s energy.

This is what Chameleone and Pallaso do best — they remind us that Ugandan music, even when it leans on the familiar, can still surprise us. And more importantly, it can still make us dance.

So, is it a club banger?

Absolutely.

Is it another song that sounds like everything else?

Maybe — but it doesn’t feel like it. And that’s the magic.