After their critically acclaimed debut album If You Leave, it was hard to predict what Daughter would bring to the table with their next record. A moody and melancholy indie tone (similar to that of The XX) was firmly stuck to in the debut LP, without much exploration into anything else. But Not To Disappear disproves any thinking that Daughter are just a one trick pony.
Of course the song which is immediately on the lips on everybody’s lips when they hear Daughter is the 2013 hit single ‘Youth’. Being played on numerous TV shows ranging from Grey’s Anatomy to Skins and even the advertisement for the 2013 Tour De France. Not To Disappear doesn’t have this quick selling unforgettable single like their debut did, but instead it is filled with absolute gems each worthy of their own acclaim and praise, rather than just the one sensational single.
Lead single ‘Doing The Right Thing’ is a chillingly beautiful tale of the effect of dementia on a family, and opener ‘New Ways’ shows how Daughter can bare their teeth and produce an exquisite and feverish song. Daughter have stepped up another level with this album, not just in the elegant and tender song writing of lead singer Elena Tonra, but also in the fantastically frenzied work of guitar player Igor Haefeli and soothing sonic seams stitched by drummer Remi Aguilella. The single ‘Numbers’ and track ‘No Care’ marry the two together impeccably, with all the grisly and grim emotion Daughter effortlessly pull off throughout any song.
With a huge headline tour across the UK, including an unmissable stop at Leeds Beckett on the 26th of January, the shockingly powerful nature of Daughter is sure to see them go from strength to strength this year. Not To Disappear is a dark and persistent piece of beauty, set to spiral Daughter to new heights.
Luke Humphrey