Daughter of Drum’s debut album Pink Breath is an impressive display of artistic versatility, as Irish artist Aofie McAtamney demonstrates an extraordinary ability to blend an array of musical styles – fearlessly traversing a range of artistic mediums to deliver raw poetic reflections to her audience. Previously known for her work in the contemporary dance scene, McAtamney’s latest project under the moniker Daughter of a Drum is a bold leap into the world of indie-folk pop, which does not disappoint.
Daughter of a Drum’s debut album “Pink Breath” is an introspective, ethereal soundtrack for a
journey into the very depths of the soul. Speckled with haunting vocals reminiscent of fellow
Irish folk poetess, Lisa O’Neill, paired with a dash of Cat Power’s unapologetic lyrical prowess
and confident delivery, Daughter of a Drum hits all the right familiar notes while managing to
carve out a style that is entirely her own.
We can hear echoes of McAtameny’s diverse musical interests and influences throughout her
debut indie-folk pop LP Pink Breath, with elements of electronic dance music subtly
incorporated into the background of several tracks. Rather than overpowering the indie-folk-pop.
With the seamless blending of a diverse array of instrumental power packed in Pink Breath –
from the soft strokes of piano keys and sentimental slow-draw of fiddle strings, to the variety of percussions building alongside McAtamney’s soulful vocals – one could easily mistake Daughter of a Drum’s foray into the folk-adjacent genre as a mid-catalogue masterpiece from someonewho’s been doing it – and doing it well – for years.
To say the lyricism throughout Pink Breath is clever would be a tremendous understatement.
Tracks like “Youth” and “Sex in Bed” demonstrate McAtamney’s poetic disposition through her
unyielding comfort exploring raw themes, and expert use of multi-layered lyrical symbolism and
double-entendres.
Another standout track is “Space”, featuring Justin Vivian Bond. The powerful track is as much a
piano-driven duet between two soul-stirring musical tours de force, as it is an emotional duet of
melancholy and hope in the face of change; a sonic representation of one treading water in a sea
of saudade, rolling between the reflective tides of nostalgia and freedom.
McAtamney sings:
All that I thought I was longing for faded away/
All of the dreams that I dreamed I would build/
They faded away/
All of the themes I’ve been living with have changed/
Because it’s happening…
In almost Joycean fashion, the Irish singer’s promising debut album closes where it first began.
If not an intentional and ingenious attempt to loop the album – essentially giving it no true
beginning or end – it certainly ties the project together perfectly, emphasizing the album’s
overarching theme. The final track, ‘Song A’, is a poignant reflection on abortion and feminism,
featuring stirring idioglossic background vocals with primordial power akin to those of Icelandic
singer Eivør and a slightly more energized Lisa Gerrard.
McAtamney sings:
It was a warm and sunny day/
I was talking to my womb/
My ancestors were with me/
I knew that I could let go/
I was given the OK/
I did it out of love/
And I would do it all again…
Daughter of a Drum’s debut album Pink Breath is out now, and is includes a number of
impressive accompanying visual art pieces, from the creation of a new language with visual artist
Choy Ping Ní Chléirigh-Ng — in which each track is represented as a hieroglyphic symbol and
body position – to a very promising short film.
Pink Breath’s accompanying short film – directed by the acclaimed Wolf James, known for her
award-winning work on Hozier’s music video for ‘De Selby (Part 2)’, starring Domhnall
Gleeson, as well as Jamie Duffy’s viral video ‘SOLAS’ – will further explore Daughter of a
Drum’s themes of sexuality, fertility, and home.
Daughter of a Drum will be performing at the renowned ‘Ireland Music Week’ which takes place
on October 3rd and 4 th across various locations in Dublin.
CONNECT WITH DAUGHTER OF A DRUM:
