Daughter of Swords — the alias of North Carolina singer-songwriter Alex Sauser-Monnig — is set to release their new album, Alex, on April 11 via Psychic Hotline. Having previously released music with Mountain Man and The A’s, their work as Daughter of Swords has grown over the years from fragile folk ruminations to eccentric synth-streaked rock manifestations.
Recorded at Betty’s, Sylvan Esso’s Chapel Hill studio, the album is supported by the foundations laid by Sauser-Monnig’s longtime friends and collaborators, including Amelia Meath (Sylvan Esso, Mountain Man, The A’s), Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak, Flock of Dimes), Nick Sanborn (Sylvan Esso, Made of Oak), TJ Maiani (Weyes Blood, Neneh Cherry), and Caleb Wright (Hippo Campus, Samia).
Sauser-Monnig shared “Alone Together” last year, and now we have another glimpse into the record’s quixotic mechanisms with “Talk to You”, a snappy pop daydream about the contrasting emotions that often fuel our romantic relationships. Her voice takes centerstage, though it’s enveloped by idiosyncratic musical impulses which play with melody in odd ways. It’s a curious bit of outsider pop art that dissolves our expectations and reinforces Sauser-Monnig’s reputation for genre adaptation.
Watch the Amelia Meath-directed clip below.
Alex is due out April 11 via Psychic Hotline. You can pre-order the album here. Follow Daughter of Swords on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
