When I came across Dominic Manning, I didn’t just listen to his songs; I entered his world. A world carved from decades of sonic craftsmanship, collaborative spirit, and personal expression. For almost twenty years, Dominic has been a core force in the rock/alternative outfit Love Death Dreams, alongside the prodigious Herd brothers, and later with Jon Collins in the experimental project twentytwentysix. But ‘October / Due’ is something else entirely. As a solo album, it’s also a handwritten letter from the heart, scattered across acoustic meadows, stormy ambient corridors, and sunlit kitchens where melodies dance with memory.
Crafted over years, shaped by family, and filled with a kind of quiet resilience, this is a deeply human record. Dominic not only sings and performs nearly every instrument on the album, but he also engineered, mixed, and mastered the entire project himself. There’s no sheen of overproduction here; just the earnest texture of an artist leaving fingerprints on every inch of his work. And it’s beautifully lived-in. Let’s get in the album track by track.
Opening with soft acoustic guitar and ethereal tones, “Miles From Anywhere” instantly feels like looking out the window during a long, contemplative train ride. Dominic’s sister, Sam Manning’s vocals glide in with elegance, wrapping you like early morning fog. The French horn by CJFM—his father—adds a nostalgic grandeur, swelling gently like something remembered rather than heard. The track embodies isolation and yearning, but there’s warmth at its edges. A remarkable opener.
“The Flaming Moth,” this album’s second track, introduces the first subtle shift toward the electronic. Ticking percussion and simmering synth layers create a hypnotic, slightly disoriented haze. There are no vocals here but this track thematically, feels like a descent into obsession or confusion, a dance too close to the flame.
A mid-tempo, drum-driven number that quietly builds in emotional weight, “Nothing We Can’t Shake” opens with an crisp and consistent acoustic strumming grounding a song that speaks of resilience through companionship. Dominic’s delivery is gentle but confident; a voice steadying itself against life’s small tremors. There’s a lo-fi charm to the production, capturing the raw edges rather than smoothing them out.
In “October’s Groove,” things get more playful. A slight funkiness in the rhythm guitar and a head-bobbing groove make this one of the lighter tracks on the record. The joy of seasonal change; that crispness in the air and the slow golden fade of autumn is all over this track. There is less burden here, more open and unguarded. To me, it’s a perfect October day set to music.
“In Deeper Water” pull you into it like a rip current with dark, aquatic synths . The production here is moodier, layered with low-end resonance and subtle glitches. This song carries anxiety and helplessness, maybe even parental fear; like watching something slip through your fingers. Dominic sings with a hush, almost whispering confessions. It’s vulnerable in the most disarming way.
Moving on to “Soft Mints” [with Joseph Herd], the drums courtesy of Joe Herd are fantastic without becoming rigid. Guy Logan’s saxophone appears like a burst of color in a monochrome dream, bringing a jazzy uplift that makes the whole track feel oddly nostalgic and hopeful. This song’s title may feel light, but it’s a strong emotional anchor halfway through the album, offering a needed breath.
Co-written with sister Sam and guitarist Nick Herd, “That Feelings Back Again” is emotional gold. Sam vocal performance is a highlight of the record; she sings effortlessly beautiful. The lyrics explore relapsed jealousy or emotional relapse, with instrumentation that slowly creeps in: an aching guitar line here, a swelling synth pad there. A track for late nights and personal reckonings.
Written with Simon Townsend, “October Freeze” is the spiritual sequel to October’s Groove, but flipped on its axis. The atmosphere is brittle; frost on the grass, smoke in the lungs. This track is a reminder that with every golden autumn comes a shadow, a chill. Production-wise, it’s spacious and ambient, giving room for reflection.
A minimalist gem, “Hold Your Breath” begins with a skeletal piano progression, sparse and deliberate. As the song unfolds, layers slowly bloom—like thoughts racing during moments of self-doubt or emotional overwhelm. This is a song that doesn’t ask to be heard—it just is, and it stays.
Now, here comes “Due,” the titular track and emotional centerpiece of the album. Co-written with Sam again, this one aches with the joy and fear of becoming a parent. Joe Herd returns on drums, grounding the track in reality while the instrumentation floats in expectation. There’s a pulse to this song—like a heartbeat, like time ticking toward something inevitable. It’s hopeful, afraid, and overwhelmed. Just like life.
Closing the album with a reimagining of track two, . “The Flaming Moth (I go up) [bENESKI Remix]” Dominic’s brother bENESKI injects glitchy percussion and reversed textures into the mix. It reframes the earlier track, suggesting that even in the spiral, there’s transformation. A clever and emotional bookend, this remix doesn’t just echo the past; it ascends from it.
Overall, “October / Due” is a memoir etched in melody. Dominic Manning has crafted something that feels wholly personal but warmly universal. It touches isolation, family, fear, love, nostalgia without preaching, just sharing. If this is your first encounter with Dominic Manning, welcome to an artist who’s been living and breathing music for decades. You’re not just discovering someone new; you’re unearthing a voice that has evolved, weathered storms, and still dares to dream in color. Put on your headphones. Pour a cup of tea. And press play on the album. You’ll be glad you stayed a while.
Listen to “October / Due” on Spotify
