The Magician’s Daughter

To anyone who has had the fortune of coming across Mama Kin, it’s clear that she knows what she’s doing.

Known for her intricate yet boisterous sound, Fremantle’s Danielle Caruana has long been a favourite on the folk and roots festival scene, and doesn’t disappoint with her latest record, The Magician’s Daughter.

Caruana’s nom de plume echoes the natural, raw sounds of her music – a cacophony of earthy percussion and complex instrumentation.

While The Magician’s Daughter certainly caters to all expectations of raucous, moody blues, there’s a delicacy tucked away here which gives the record an incredible level of depth, evident during simpler tracks like “The River As She Runs”.

Single “Was It Worth It” is a standout, coupling a stalking drum beat with Caruana’s ever-honest vocals. There’s something immensely likeable about the roughness in her voice – it’s as if she’s singing to you from the living room, and you’re just lucky enough to be catching this offhand performance.

Album opener “Rescue” is a pleasant surprise, clearly drawing inspiration from 1950s pop.

Along with the dramatic polyrhythms and emotional, thumping piano of “The Fire”, it’s evidence of Mama Kin’s ability to transcend the blues and roots genre as she builds complex and varied melodies throughout the entire record.

There seems to be no emotion untouched by Caruana on her latest album. She masters fragility, bitterness and exultation with skill and doesn’t shy away from rawness and imperfection.

The Magician’s Daughter is an exciting and intricate record, worth a listen if only to feel dwarfed by the knowledge, the nature and the power that seems to radiate from Mama Kin.

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