The Debut Record "Daughters" Explores Grief and Elegance

In this track "Miss America", audiences are placed in a lodging near JFK airport, where Jennifer Walton receives a devastating news of her father's cancer diagnosis. The UK-raised artist had been touring America on her initial visit, playing with indie band Kero Kero Bonito, when abruptly sadness casts a shadow, tinging everything in grey. Unsteady piano and soft strings underscore dark reports from the road: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."

Walton's gentle singing come across in a deadpan style, while this album's intensity stems from the keen writing—mixing fiction, folksy sayings, and direct diary entries—along with unexpected maximalism. Not many tracks this year showcase stronger novelistic style compared to "Shelly", a piece that describes the killing of a deer and descends toward a petrol-laden confrontation, reminiscent of literary works lit with glimpses of warped strings. Tense, subdued sections featuring echoing, plucked guitar move into expansive choruses, with Walton's voice electronically altered to become a presence omniscient and sinister.

Listeners might previously be familiar with Walton as an electronic producer, disc jockey, and contributor to bands like Caroline. The album's sonic turns reflect this diverse background. The opener "Sometimes" erupts with flourish, as if an ensemble taken unawares, whereas "Born Again Backwards" radically ups the tempo via an intense, beautiful, repeating percussion. Thick layers of audio, skillfully mixed by a long-term partner, seem both rough and ethereal, and her dark, enchanted thoughts culminate on standout "Lambs", which briefly becomes a swirling jig. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," Walton pleads, with heart-aching gallows humor.