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DAUGHTER WATER (EP)

ELLE SHIMADA

Released 22 May 2026

Elle Shimada

****-

An exquisitely tender, chamber-jazz EP that trades dancefloor aggression for a soothing, violin-led sanctuary of sisterhood, capturing a profound sense of emotional freedom and interpersonal warmth.​

 

Following the intense, politically charged multi-genre chaos of her January 2026 sophomore LP Lullaby For the River In My Body, Tokyo-born, Melbourne-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Elle Shimada pivots sharply inward. DAUGHTER WATER is a deliberate antidote to digital overstimulation and personal isolation. Conceptualized by the shoreline "oceans away from home", where the ocean serves as a metaphor for global, feminine interdependence, this 5-track "lover girl jazz" EP is an intimate monument to the women in her life. She writes:"Each song on this EP is named after the women who became my family: Ren, Kim, Aakanksha, Fazah, Reem and I. The limitless wonder I felt holding baby Ren. Kim’s unconditional and generous love. Aakanksha’s courageous determination. Reem’s quiet, ocean deep thoughtfulness. Fazah’s loud and infectious joy. Warmth they share.  And a freedom and joy that I am learning to cherish more in myself."
If her previous work weaponized rhythm as resistance, DAUGHTER WATER treats melody as a sanctuary. Shimada completely fulfills her ambition to create a "warm sisterhood" in sound, heavily incorporating field recordings of ocean waves that tie the tracklist together. On "Fazah & Reem," her violin does not fight the production; instead, it sings with a fluid, audacious joy that perfectly mirrors her stated intent. The sparse, ambient framing of "Kim" and "Ren" relies on gentle jazz-tinged keys and sweeping, cinematic string layers that evoke a sun-drenched calmness, trading clinical electronic complexity for pure emotional reassurance.

Admittedly, listeners seeking the fierce, fractured breakbeats of her debut LP might find this softer, meditative palette almost too polite. Tracks like "Aakanksha" lean so heavily into soothing, low-stakes comfort that they occasionally flirt with luxury hotel lobby music. Yet, judging the EP against Shimada’s specific goal - to offer a comforting, offline respite that honors the divine strength of her peers - the project is a resounding success. It is a beautifully mixed, deeply human recording that prioritizes healing and connection over avant-garde friction, proving her range as a composer.

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