Album Review: Doha

Dharma Dan drops us into his debut album Doha after years spent exploring meditation and contemplative practices. From the organically drawn self-portrait cover artwork, to the rawness of the production style; it is clear that this is a very honest and personal collection of material.

The lyrics on Doha are written from a deeply reflective and conscious standpoint, craftily encapsulating a struggle to fit into the everyday hustle of society. Comparisons to artists such as Us3 and Arrested Development can easily be made here, and it is refreshing to see such a vulnerable expression of thoughts laid out across this album.

Stand out single Breathe (With Mr Squatch) defines the overriding themes contained in Doha; its lyrics describing the need to go inside oneself in order to find inner peace in an age of ever-present obstacles and distractions. The track City Folk also delivers with a commentary on what it means to be caught in the trappings of the city, and it’s use of prosody in a comical way helps to emphasise these points nicely.

It is interesting to note the seemingly deliberate break in genre conventions by having the lead vocals panned hard left for the majority of the album, perhaps in an attempt to distance himself from the limelight or a tactic in diverting expectations. Regardless, Dharma Dan’s message would only be further reinforced by taking centre stage in this situation and should be something to consider for future productions.