Naima Bock

The former Goat Girl brings a tour-de-force vocal performance on her second solo outing.

If it was that alone, we’d be mightily impressed but, coupled with the fragile, insightful, and deeply moving songwriting, and we’re rightly astounded. It might take a listen or two to really click but, when it does, you’ll be flipping that disc right back to the start. The second solo album by UK singer-songwriter, Naima Bock, formerly of Goat Girl. 'Below A Massive Dark Land' follows 'Giant Palm', one of 2022's most critically acclaimed debuts, with rich arrangements and a newfound lyrical and vocal power. 'Below A Massive Dark Land' still has the majesty that made 'Giant Palm' so remarkable.

Having tugged the first record down from the skies and spreading it across the earth, Naima finds a newfound vocal power and confidence born from hundreds of hours on stage, and the music sounds fuller, more tangible, and no less enveloping.This can be heard on the album’s lead singles: “Kaley” feels fresh and surprising in its rug-pull choppiness but is distinctly Naima in its swinging, jubilant choruses. The accompanying “Further Away” takes a different tack, drawing you in with its simplicity. Finally, the hazy, luxurious beauty of “Feed My Release” draws on the sepia-toned traditions of The Roches, John Prine and Loudon Wainwright III and imbues them with the kind of stark confessional songwriting of Mount Eerie. These are ambitious, rich arrangements that reach deeper and darker lyrically than 'Giant Palm'