As the title would suggest, If You Leave is quite a bleak album.
Singer Elena Tonra has obviously had a tough time of it
lately, and she’s not afraid to share her heartbreak, particularly in ‘Tomorrow’,
in which she whispers “by tomorrow I’ll be left in the darkness, among your
cold sheets” and “I’ve been dreaming of strangers kissing me in the night just
so i can feel something” in Human.
Pairing her fragile, vulnerable vocals with equally vulnerable and heart-breaking
lyrics, the album should make for a depressing listen.
Instead, it’s saved by the addition of a bursting, thumping
band accompanying her, and some of the best moments on the album come from
Elena’s eerie layered harmonies being interrupted by crashing drums. The album falters only in that it runs a little long in
places. Album closer Shallows comes in at a lengthy seven minutes, and compared
to the 4/5 minute average of the rest of the album, it lingers for a little too
long.
Despite this, Daughter have managed to create a beautifully
bleak first effort, and if heartbreak is what inspired this album, from a
selfish perspective, let’s hope someone breaks Elena’s heart again soon.
8/10
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