Douglas Dare – Seven Hours
As I sit down in search of music this evening, I take little time to realise that ‘Seven Hours’ by Douglas Dare is quite an exquisite discovery . Somehow I have missed it which is surprising since I usually have my finger on the pulse with new releases from the excellent London label Erased Tapes. Since starting out back in 2007, the label has become synonymous with quality with massive names like Nils Frahm, Olafur Arnalds and Peter Broderick not to mention the mighty A Winged Victory For The Sullen. With such an international line-up, on paper it is interesting to see that Erased Tapes have just released a debut short album/mini EP release from a 23 year old named Douglas Dare.
However, the high bar of quality is not only maintained with ‘Seven Hours’ but in fact it is well and truly pushed to new limits in what is really quite an astonishing record. Painfully brief but all a part of its magical pull, this set of four tracks pits smoky late-night piano compositions with Dare’s unmistakable voice. Sounds simple and in a way, it is but Dare’s haunting voice and brilliant lyrics derived from his poetry are the perfect marriage for the delicate piano and careful use of effects. There’s a lo-fi feel to the recording that helps sidestep the pretentiousness that often tends to envelope this kind of record. Not only does ‘Seven Hours’ ride with a smokey cloak of vintage noir – it retains an honesty.
This is a breathtaking EP/Album that comes with my highest recommendation. To check it out, click the image above or HERE
