The Debut Record "Daughters" Delves Into Sorrow and Style

Within the song "Miss America", listeners are placed in a hotel room near JFK airfield, where the musician receives the devastating news of her father's cancer diagnosis. This UK-raised performer had been traveling the US for the first time, playing alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, and abruptly sadness casts a shadow, coloring everything with melancholy. Unsteady keys and soft strings underscore dark reports emanating from the road: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."

Walton's gentle vocals come across with a deadpan manner, yet the album's tension stems from the sharp writing—blending stories, traditional phrases, and blunt personal notes—coupled with surprising maximalism. Few tracks this year possess stronger storytelling style than "Shelly", a piece that describes the death of an animal and spirals into a petrol-laden confrontation, reminiscent of literary works lit by flickers of distorted cello. Tense, quiet verses with echoing, strummed strings move into grand choruses, with Walton's voice digitally manipulated to become a presence all-knowing and sinister.

Listeners may already be familiar with Walton as a music creator, disc jockey, and contributor in groups like Caroline. Daughters' musical twists reflect her diverse background. The first track "Sometimes" erupts in fanfare, as if a string band taken unawares, while "Born Again Backwards" radically increases the tempo with an intense, beautiful, looping drum fill. Thick layers of audio, expertly mixed by a long-term partner, seem at once gnarly and spiritual, and her dark, magical thinking culminate on highlight "Lambs", which briefly becomes a swirling jig. "May your life never end in death," she bargains, with heart-aching gallows humor.