Some mixtapes are happy to stay in one lane. Carδamo’s latest project, Tomodachi ☆ Kimitachi, clearly has other ideas. Moving between alternative pop, hyperpop, contemporary R&B and more experimental electronic territory, the release is an adventurous collection that enjoys playing with sound, style and expectations without losing sight of its pop appeal.
Following a run of singles across 2025 and 2026, the mixtape brings together tracks including “Cat & Mouse”, “One More Night”, “Over It”, “Mundial” and “Best Of Me”. But rather than simply gathering individual releases into one package, Carδamo uses the project to explore a much wider musical landscape. Commercial songwriting meets unusual production choices, creating a collection that feels playful, unpredictable and deliberately open-minded.
There is plenty of variety to get into. “One More Night” and “Best Of Me” lean towards alternative pop, while the previously unreleased “Blackstar Promo” heads into hyperpop and bubblegum bass territory. Pitch-shifted vocals, restless synth melodies, and bright electronic textures give it a distinctly futuristic personality. Elsewhere, “Confidence” takes a contemporary R&B approach, pairing a grooving bassline and expressive vocals with sweeping strings and sharp guitar accents.
“ La La La” offers a warmer change of pace, with layered harmonies and hazy electronic details creating a retro-leaning atmosphere. The focus track, “Missing Link”, is another interesting moment, bringing organic instrumentation and electronic production together through sampling, flowing vocal passages, and a driving breakbeat. Each track has its own character, making the mixtape feel like a journey rather than a collection built around one particular sound.
Behind the experimentation is a personal story about finding confidence through community. Carδamo describes Tomodachi ☆ Kimitachi as a celebration of collaboration and the positive relationships developed with age. Having attempted a similar creative approach with an earlier project at 19, the artist now looks back on that experience with a different perspective, drawing on the security and freedom that come with greater self-assurance.
Much of the mixtape was recorded at Carδamo’s home studio in Farnborough, a space built with their father during lockdown while studying music at the University of Surrey. Creative sessions also took place in London, New York, Los Angeles and Nicosia, with those encounters helping shape different parts of the project. It’s an approach that reflects the mixtape’s central idea: music becomes more interesting when different people and perspectives are allowed into the process.
Carδamo’s musical identity is just as varied as the project itself. With roots in classical music and a strong appreciation for jazz, the artist has also explored Noise, Acousmaticism and Indeterminism as part of a creative journey that connects experimental ideas with accessible songwriting. Influences including Frost Children, Danny L Harle and Underscores help explain the mixtape’s attraction to energetic dance music that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Supported by the Roundhouse Resident Artist Program and Youth Music’s NXT Gen Fund, Tomodachi ☆ Kimitachi is an ambitious statement from an artist comfortable with challenging musical boundaries. Its biggest strength is the freedom to move between contrasting sounds while keeping collaboration and creative expression at the centre.
For listeners who enjoy their pop music with a little unpredictability, Carδamo has plenty to offer here. Tomodachi ☆ Kimitachi is colourful, experimental and refreshingly playful, proving that catchy music and adventurous production can happily share the same dancefloor.
Carδamo turns collaboration into a colourful musical adventure on Tomodachi ☆ Kimitachi
