The Debut Album "Daughters" Delves Into Grief and Style
In this song "Miss America", audiences find themselves in a lodging close to JFK airfield, where the musician learns a heartbreaking update that her dad has illness discovery. This Sunderland-born artist had been touring America for the first time, playing alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, when suddenly sadness casts a shadow, tinging all with melancholy. Unsteady piano and hushed orchestration accompany dark reports from the tour van: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."
Her soft vocals are delivered in a flat style, while the album's tension stems from her keen penmanship—mixing stories, folksy sayings, and blunt diary entries—along with unexpected rich textures. Few tracks this year possess stronger novelistic style compared to "Shelly", a piece that depicts the killing of an animal and spirals toward a petrol-laden confrontation, reminiscent of literary pieces lit with glimpses of distorted strings. Tense, subdued verses featuring echoing, plucked guitar transition into grand choruses, and her voice digitally manipulated to become a presence all-knowing and menacing.
Audiences may previously be familiar with Walton from her work as a music creator, DJ, and member in groups such as Caroline. Daughters' musical twists reflect her diverse background. The first track "Sometimes" bursts with fanfare, as if an ensemble taken by surprise, whereas "Born Again Backwards" drastically increases the tempo with a punishing, beautiful, looping drum fill. Dense walls of sound, expertly produced with a longtime collaborator, feel both rough and ethereal, and Walton's dark, magical thoughts peak in highlight "Lambs", which briefly transforms into a twirling dance. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," she pleads, with poignant gallows humor.
