Douglas Dare – Omni (album review)

In May 2014, I reviewed Whelm, Douglas Dare’s debut album, and praised it for its sparse beauty and lyrical weight. Now, almost exactly ten years later, I discovered Omni, his fourth and most daring album to date. It was released in May 2024 but had somehow stayed off my radar until recently.

Known for his piano-led minimalism and poetic songwriting, Dare takes a confident leap here. He embraces lush electronics, pulsing basslines and rhythmic tension. Omni is not a record that stays safely in the shadows. It pulses, flickers and invites movement, all while preserving the intimacy he is known for.

As someone whose taste usually leans toward heavier genres such as progressive rock, metal and dense arrangements, what continues to draw me to Dare’s music is not its volume but its emotional weight. There is a complexity in the restraint and a richness in the rawness. Omni feels simultaneously expansive and enclosed, like dancing alone in a dimly lit room while the world fades outside the door.

This is music that leans into sensuality and story. The electronic textures are meticulous but never sterile. There is breath in the beats and skin in the synths. My favourites – Absentia, Sailor, and No Island is a Man – are perfect examples of how emotion can be sculpted into sound. Absentia aches in its pauses. Sailor carries longing like a tide pulling memory and presence into one wave. No Island is a Man is both arresting and tender, its arrangement stunning in both vulnerability and strength.

Compared to the subdued piano ballads of Milkteeth (2020) or the fractured introspection of Aforger (2016), Omni moves with intent. It is bolder, darker in tone, but more fluid in form. It sheds the fragility of his earlier albums without losing the emotional core that defines his work.

Although I only discovered Omni recently, I listened to it all day for a couple of days in a row. It accompanied me through quiet work, restless thoughts, and even the writing of the heavier piece on mental health I shared recently. It held the background gently, anchoring me with its warmth and restraint, just like the best music does.

It is worth noting that Omni is not only Dare’s vision, but a collaboration shaped by sensitive and skilful production choices. The subtle textures and perfectly balanced arrangements speak of a team that knew exactly how to hold space for his voice and message.

Omni feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. It echoes influences while carving its own strange, beautiful path. It reminds me that emotive, art-driven music, whatever its genre, has the power to disarm and hold you still.
It was high time I took the time to write about this little electronic gem.

Find him and his links here: Douglas Dare