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In the track "Miss America", audiences find themselves in a hotel room near JFK airport, where Jennifer Walton learns the devastating news that her dad has cancer diagnosis. This UK-raised artist was traveling America for the first time, playing alongside group Kero Kero Bonito, when suddenly grief takes over, tinging everything in grey. Unsteady keys and soft orchestration accompany dark reports emanating from the tour van: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."

Walton's soft singing are delivered with a deadpan manner, while the record's tension stems from her sharp penmanship—blending fiction, folksy sayings, and direct diary entries—along with surprising rich textures. Not many tracks this year showcase stronger storytelling style than "Shelly", a piece that describes the killing of an animal and descends toward a fuel-soaked reckoning, evoking literary works lit by flickers of distorted cello. Tense, quiet sections featuring resonating, plucked guitar transition into expansive refrains, and Walton's vocals electronically altered to become a presence all-knowing and sinister.

Audiences might already know the artist as an electronic producer, DJ, and contributor to bands like Caroline. Daughters' sonic turns draw on her diverse background. The first track "Sometimes" erupts in flourish, like an ensemble taken unawares, whereas "Born Again Backwards" drastically increases the tempo via a punishing, beautiful, looping drum fill. Dense layers of audio, expertly mixed with a long-term collaborator, seem both gnarly and spiritual, while her dark, enchanted thoughts culminate on standout "Lambs", which momentarily becomes a swirling jig. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," she bargains, exuding heart-aching dark comedy.