Album Review: Dani Larkin, Next Of Kin

Post lockdown, this south Armagh-bred singer has asserted herself as one of the north’s most gifted acts.

Hailed by Gary Lightbody, a man who knows a thing or two about an iconic tune, as “one of the finest songwriters of our times”, the critically acclaimed Dani Larkin is set to conquer charts and hearts with this excellent second album.

Gorgeous and glorious, the opus explores new beginnings, the end of days, family ties, falling in love, and the age old struggle of life and death, across 11 folk-rooted tracks. A more expressive offering than Larkin’s debut, Next Of Kin wonderfully incorporates cinematic sounds.

The brooding, deliciously dark ‘Morning’ starts the record in impressive fashion, while finger-plucked ballad ‘I Wake’ is another treat, which briefly detours into post-rock territory. ‘Caledonia’, meanwhile, is a crossover hit in the making – boasting a wistful, warm melody, it’s a jaw dropping, strings-swept affair. Indeed, you can just picture it scoring a pivotal scene in a Hollywood blockbuster.

A hugely rewarding album, Next Of Kin may very well make Dani the north’s next big thing.

9/10