Daughter of Swords

Alexandra Sauser-Monnig might be best known as one-third of the folk-trio Mountain Man, but it’s her solo project Daughter of Swords—formerly called ASM—that fully showcases her artistry. Her debut album, the splendid Dawnbreaker, enlisted Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn for production and was released on the label Nonesuch Records in June. At its core, Dawnbreaker is a ten-track meditation on a romantic partnership as it flickers out. But it a typical breakup album by any means: if anything it’s an optimistic pursuit, basking in vivid lyrical landscapes and moments of vulnerability. It’s one-part pop, one-part country, yet never strays too far in either direction. Simple drum machines and subtle synthesizers accompany Sauser-Monnig’s breezy vocals and intimate guitar strums on songs like “Gem” and “Shining Woman,” while “Easy is Hard” features physical drumming and a twangy guitar lead. Usually, she presents this material by herself, but on this occasion, she will be accompanied by the Dawnbreaker Band, which consists of Sanborn, Ryan Gustafson, Jeff Crawford, and Yan Westerlund. —Sam Haw