Indie folk trio Daughter have released their heavily anticipated debut album, ‘If You Leave’.
The dark sound of the trio, originally the work of vocalist/guitarist Elena Tonra, reminds you of the XX. Along with the whispery haunting voice and the dark mysterious guitar riffs, powerful lyrics make this album one that wont be forgotten in a while. Expectations rose after hit single ‘Youth’ became a massive hit, most recognised from being the soundtrack to series 8 and 9 of hit TV series Skins, and the EP that the track featured on ‘Wild Youth’, was described by Vogue as “fluttering heart on the sleeve acoustic”; a sound has certainly carried to the album.
The record is consistently dark and soul clenching, whilst each song turns from a slow to increasingly powerful overtone expressed with interchangeable guitar riffs. These tracks are full of feeling right from the off, with album opener ‘Winter’ beginning your ascent into musical paradise.
Smash hit single ‘Youth’, features on the album, and is one of the stand out tracks, one you could have on repeat all day in fact. With lyrics such as ‘setting fire to our insides for fun’, the lyrics and dark riffs and drumming make this track, along with album, one of the most powerful you will hear this year.
Heading into ‘Lifeforms’, one of the darkest on the 10-song strong LP, you’re left feeling cold as you embrance another track that guitarist Igor Haefeli revels in. ‘Human’ offers something more upbeat, accompanied by a happier story too, and is something the album needed to break up the continuous wave of darkness. Keeping the powerfulness that the album has created, the song still sounds as haunting and soul clenching as ever, Elena’s whisper-like voice is at its best on this track.
‘If You Leave’ was produced by Rodaidh McDonald, who also produced both XX albums, and this album resembles the powerfully sincere album that The XX created in the multi-platinum debut album ‘xx’. This album has set a really high standard for the trio’s career, if they keep creating albums as good as this and anthems like ‘Youth’; they will make themselves one of the most loved bands within the music scene.
Songs to listen to: ‘Winter’, ‘Youth’, ‘Lifeforms’, ‘Human’, ‘Touch’
You can watch the video for new single ‘Still’ which features on the album below: