When visions dance across your eyelids at night, each simple idea resonates into a cavernous haze of ambience. The ideas themselves may not be new, and in fact they’re probably triggered by subconscious desires and fears, it doesn’t matter as much as the “feeling” and the “presence” of the dream. Douglas Dare’s “Nile” approaches simplicity and complexity in much the same way: while straightforward in its composition, what really stands out is the extension of a note or a croon into luscious reverb. The tempered and patient overlap of continuous organ-like keys and chilled-out drum machines feel more like falling into one of these dreams than waking up.

Of course, the imagery that Dare evokes is culprit to this interpretation: “Through a blaze of grass/I saw you stand/I lose myself/But I could not reach your hand/I would sail/Down the river Nile/Just to keep you alive and well.” This lyricism isn’t particularly compelling, but it makes sense in the context of the dreamy relaxation you feel while hearing it. And if dreams were just about events they would be pretty boring; instead, events access feelings and sentiments. So does Douglas Dare quite effectively, apparently.

The buildup in last third of the track feels eerily like moving from a doze into the hypnotic depths of sleep, that moment of deep letting-go. This is where the track moves from accompaniment – playing alongside your experience – to immersion – creating the space for your experience. I hesitate to say this is the strongest part of the track, because it’s quite holistic, in the sense that the last third only makes sense having followed the first two-thirds. In other words, the track has a sense of completeness that sets a “complete” track apart from the mass of other music that’s easier to pass up.

Erased Tapes Records is set to release “Nile” on Douglas Dare’s new LP “Whelm” May 12, 2014. Any release beginning with “Erased Tapes” should quicken your pulse, as it does for me.

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