There’s an undeniably otherworldly quality to Dani Larkin’s long awaited debut album. Part of this stems from the rich lyrical inspiration drawn from Irish mythology; warrior princesses and goddesses walk tall through these ten songs. It also stems from the mesmerising quality of Larkin’s voice and her tensely intricate guitar-picking, lending the impression of something ancient speaking through her from an Ireland long past.

Notes for a Maiden Warrior is centred around the concept of lessons on how to create change in this world by learning from stories of old and from other realms, and how to navigate life – love, death, suffering, pain, strength, and kindness, a set of notes in song form. The album is split in two; the Warrior dominates the first half through beautiful tracks ‘The Mother Within’ and ‘Bloodthirsty’. The mythological influences are heaviest here, as Larkin draws from folklore and the Ulster Cycle; ‘The Red (Maca’s Return)’ references Irish warrior goddess Macha, one of the death/war goddess trio, the Morrigán.

Things soften towards the second part of the album, the Maiden. ‘The Magpie’ opens with a masterful guitar solo that soothes after the at-times frenzied banjo of the first half. ‘Love’ parts One Two and Three weave a personal tale of love, while ‘Samson & Goliath’ strikes a more vulnerable chord. ‘Three Wise Women’ closes the album, Larkin’s unaccompanied vocals carrying us out perfectly and underlining just how talented a singer she is. Notes for a Maiden Warrior is a stunning debut, and cements Dani Larkin as the rising star of the Irish alt-folk scene.

8/10
Listen: 'Bloodthirsty'

Stream Notes for a Maiden Warrior below: