The First Album "Daughters" Explores Sorrow and Style

In this track "Miss America", audiences find themselves in a lodging near JFK airfield, as Jennifer Walton receives the heartbreaking update that her dad has illness discovery. This Sunderland-born artist had been touring America for the first time, playing with indie band Kero Kero Bonito, and abruptly grief takes over, tinging everything in grey. Faltering piano and hushed orchestration accompany dark reports from the tour van: "Rural scenes and crumbling homes / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."

Walton's soft vocals come across with a deadpan style, yet the record's tension stems from the keen writing—blending stories, traditional phrases, and direct diary entries—along with surprising maximalism. Not many tracks this year showcase stronger storytelling style compared to "Shelly", a piece that describes the death of a deer and descends into a fuel-soaked reckoning, reminiscent of written pieces lit with glimpses of warped cello. Anxious, subdued verses with echoing, plucked strings transition into grand choruses, and her vocals electronically altered into something omniscient and sinister.

Listeners might already be familiar with the artist as a music creator, DJ, and member in groups such as Caroline. Daughters' sonic turns reflect her diverse career. The first track "Sometimes" bursts with fanfare, like a string band taken unawares, whereas "Born Again Backwards" drastically ups the BPM via a punishing, beautiful, repeating percussion. Dense walls of sound, expertly produced by a longtime collaborator, seem both gnarly and spiritual, while Walton's dark, magical thoughts culminate on highlight "Lambs", which briefly transforms into a swirling jig. "May your life never end in death," Walton bargains, with poignant dark comedy.