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Whelm Image
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 8 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 7 Ratings

  • Summary: The debut full-length release for the British singer-songwriter was produced with Fabian Prynn.

Top Track

Caroline
It's been countless days, since last we wrote And countless more, since last we spoke But now that's all that remains The letters that make up your... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. 85
    Whelm is a Herculean debut.
  2. May 8, 2014
    80
    The songs on Dare's debut album, Whelm ache with a sort of moody emotion that young and old can have in common--wide-eyed, reflective and besotted with the way the world makes us feel.
  3. May 8, 2014
    80
    It feels raw, genuine, but most of all, human.
  4. May 9, 2014
    80
    This is essential listening for fans of Owen Pallett and Ólafur Arnalds.
  5. May 13, 2014
    80
    It's a careful and moody album, but fortunately, Dare has the grace to pull off his sonic and lyrical meanderings without devolving too deeply into self-conscious philosophizing or experimentation for its own sake, showing that he has both content and mystique to spare.
  6. May 29, 2014
    80
    The woozy title track seems deliberately designed to unsettle the listener at the halfway point of an album that is in turns both richly emotive and beguilingly, bewitchingly uneasy.
  7. May 8, 2014
    70
    Although some of the themes and content of the music may be a little heavy, Dare uses the most basic of tools available to him and us as humans to express himself--words.

See all 8 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Jun 27, 2014
    9
    Douglas Dare's album is so emotionally convincing and beautiful. Most songs are in minor key and only feature vox/piano. London's Rose isDouglas Dare's album is so emotionally convincing and beautiful. Most songs are in minor key and only feature vox/piano. London's Rose is the most haunting track, discussing poverty and inhumanity we experience everyday in Western life.

    If you like sadly beautiful music with interesting songwriting techniques, you'll love this. A careful ear will appreciate, a superficial listener will not get too much out of the album.
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