On October 3rd, London artist Naima Bock will release a digital EP titled “LiveInToulon,” featuring five exquisite live versions of songs from Bock’s 2024 album, “Below a Massive Dark Land,” and her 2022 debut, “Giant Palm.” This performance was recorded by Thomas Alberny as part of the “Faveurs de Printemps” festival, presented by Tandem, in Toulon, France, in April of 2024.
Available today, you can listen to an intimate live version of her song, “Takes One (LIVE).” Bock shares: “I played this show in Toulon, France, last year on a very hot day. It was the first time I had to play a whole hour-long set alone. I remember being extremely nervous and feeling a little lonely, too. I had bought myself a blue jacket with deep pockets and spent hours in the church and on stage before playing. By the time I listened back to these recordings, I had lost some belief in myself, for various different reasons; these recordings helped me to feel proud of myself again. They felt good, and I rarely have that with my own recorded songs. I thought they deserved to be released, and et tout le monde connaît la suite! I hope you enjoy them too.”
Following summer performances at UK Festivals like Deer Shed and Green Man, and opening for legends like Dinosaur Jr., and Neil Young and Chrome Hearts at Hyde Park, Naima will headline a nine-date UK run this October and January. The tour begins on October 16th in London, with additional dates in Bristol, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield, Margate, Southampton, Brighton and Liverpool. See below for a full run of shows.
Thu. Oct. 16 - London, UK - St Matthias Church Sun. Oct. 19 - Bristol, UK - The Folk House
Wed. Jan 21 - York, UK - The Crescent Thu. Jan 22 - Edinburgh, UK - Voodoo Rooms Speakeasy Fri. Jan 23 - Glasgow, UK - The Hug & Pint Sat. Jan 24 - Manchester, UK - Halle St Michael’s Sun. Jan 25 - Liverpool, UK - Leaf on Bold St Tue. Jan 27 - Sheffield, UK - Sidney & Matilda Wed. Jan 28 - Margate, UK - Curve Coffee Thu. Jan 29 - Southampton, UK - Papillon Sat. Jan 31 - Brighton, UK - West Hill Hall
“Takes One (LIVE)” follows the release of her standalone single, “Rolling,” and 2024 record, Below a Massive Dark Land, which Uncut gave an 8/10, citing, “what is abundantly clear is that Bock’s creative star is very much with her.”
What People Are Saying About Naima Bock Below a Massive Dark Land: “Amid a flurry of excellent new tracks ahead of Naima Bock’s second album, the romantic, timeless sweep of ‘Kaley’ is the pick of the bunch, that rich and resonant vocal playing magically off a melodic, punchy line of saxophone.” ‘Best of the Month’ - The Quietus
★★★★ MOJO
“A folky hymn to regret with a lovely, loping pace and sweetly lazy horn refrain” [“Feed My Release”] The Guardian
“…Features the kind of compelling vocal performance and lush, classy pop-rock orchestration we’ve come to expect from the British-Brazilian singer-songwriter.” [“Feed My Release”] STEREOGUM
“Marked by inner strength, the pervasive musicality of Naima’s work reaching fresh heights” [“Gentle”] CLASH
“Bock’s somnambulant vocals here bounding over a jubilant burst of fuzzy guitar and saxophone. It’s ace.” [“Kaley”] The New Cue
“Fans of Naima’s earlier work, and frankly that should be all of you, will be delighted with the familiar playful instrumentation, and swaying majesty of the choruses, while those looking for something new will be delighted by the subtle choppiness of the rhythms” [“Kaley”] For The Rabbits
“Horns blaze away, powering a glorious melody allowing Naima Bock the freedom to show off the potency of her vocal range. Make no mistake, it’s a cracker.” [Kaley] “Tracks of the Week” God Is In The TV
Today, June 25th, London artist Naima Bock has returned with a new single, “Rolling,” available now on all digital service providers worldwide from Memorials of Distinction/Sub Pop.
Naima offers this on the track, “‘Rolling’ is a song that didn’t quite fit into Below a Massive Dark Land, but I thought it was worth its own moment.” She continues, “Written on a train back from Glasgow to London, I’m sure its lyrics will resonate with some. If not, then that’s a good thing. Plus, if you listen to the whole thing, you’re rewarded with some expert jaw harp playing.”
Bock has confirmed a nine-date UK tour in October, beginning on October 12th in Brighton, with additional dates in London, Bristol, Edinburgh, and Liverpool. See below for a full run of shows.
Thu. Jul. 10 - London, UK, Omeara [Sold Out] Fri. Jul. 11 - London, UK, Hyde Park* Fri. Jul. 25 - Mon, Jul 28 - Thirsk, UK, Deer Shed Festival Thu. Aug. 14 - Sun. Aug. 17 - Brecon Beacons, UK, Green Man Festival Sun. Oct. 12 - Brighton, UK - West Hill Hall Mon. Oct. 13 - Southampton, UK - Papillon Tue. Oct. 14 - Margate, UK - Curve Coffee Store Thu. Oct. 16 - London, UK - St Matthias Church Sun. Oct. 19 - Bristol, UK - The Folk House Wed. Oct. 22 - York, UK - The Crescent Thu. Oct. 23 - Edinburgh, UK - Voodoo Rooms Speakeasy Fri. Oct. 24 - Manchester, UK - Hallé at St Michael’s Sun. Oct. 26 - Liverpool, UK - Leaf on Bold Street
*Supporting Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts
“Rolling” follows the release of Bock’s 2024 record, Below a Massive Dark Land, her sophomore effort, which Uncut gave an 8/10, citing, “what is abundantly clear is that Bock’s creative star is very much with her.”
What People Are Saying About Naima Bock Below a Massive Dark Land: “Amid a flurry of excellent new tracks ahead of Naima Bock’s second album, the romantic, timeless sweep of ‘Kaley’ is the pick of the bunch, that rich and resonant vocal playing magically off a melodic, punchy line of saxophone.” ‘Best of the Month’ - The Quietus
★★★★ MOJO
“A folky hymn to regret with a lovely, loping pace and sweetly lazy horn refrain” [“Feed My Release”] The Guardian
“…Features the kind of compelling vocal performance and lush, classy pop-rock orchestration we’ve come to expect from the British-Brazilian singer-songwriter.” [“Feed My Release”] STEREOGUM
“Marked by inner strength, the pervasive musicality of Naima’s work reaching fresh heights” [“Gentle”] CLASH
“Bock’s somnambulant vocals here bounding over a jubilant burst of fuzzy guitar and saxophone. It’s ace.” [“Kaley”] The New Cue
“Fans of Naima’s earlier work, and frankly that should be all of you, will be delighted with the familiar playful instrumentation, and swaying majesty of the choruses, while those looking for something new will be delighted by the subtle choppiness of the rhythms” [“Kaley”] For The Rabbits
“Horns blaze away, powering a glorious melody allowing Naima Bock the freedom to show off the potency of her vocal range. Make no mistake, it’s a cracker.” [Kaley] “Tracks of the Week” God Is In The TV
This Friday, September 27th, Naima Bock will release Below a Massive Dark Land worldwide through Sub Pop and Memorials of Distinction. Her second album, Below… is the follow-up to Giant Palm, one of 2022’s most critically acclaimed debuts.
Today, she shares Below a Massive Dark Land’s final prerelease offering, “Moving,” a sweet and sorrowful acoustic song with horns and brass. Watch the visualizer HERE.
The songs on Below a Massive Dark Land were written by Naima Bock. The album was predominantly produced by Jack Osborne (Bingo Fury) and Joe Jones, and recorded at The Crypt in north London, with additional production and arrangement by Oliver Hamilton (caroline, Shovel Dance Collective) and Naima herself. Six of the tracks on Below… were mixed by Jason Agel, with the remainder done by Osborne and Jones. The album was mastered by Kevin Tuffy.
Naima’s previously announced international tour dates for the summer and autumn of 2024 to support Below a Massive Dark Land resume Monday, Thursday, September 26th, with an instore performance at Portsmouth, UK’s Pie & Vinyl, and currently ends Friday, December 13th in Paris at La Boule Noire. She will return to the US for a short run of East Coast shows from October 21st to 26th, 2024. For the November and December dates, Naima will perform as a duo with Oliver Hamilton (November 6th) and a four-piece band (November 7th-December 13th). Please find a current list of dates below.
Thu. Sep 26th - Portsmouth, UK - Pie & Vinyl (instore) Mon. Sep 30th - London, UK - Rough Trade West (instore) Sat. 19th Oct - Birmingham, UK - Future Days Festival*
Mon. Oct. 21 - Boston, MA - Warehouse X1 Wed. Oct 23 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church Side Chapel Fri. Oct. 25 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool Sat. Oct. 26 - Washington, DC - Rhizome
Wed. Nov. 06 - London, UK - St. Pancras Old Church + Thu. Nov. 07 - Bristol, UK - Jam Jar * Fri. Nov. 08 - Liverpool, UK - Leaf * Sat. Nov. 09 - Newcastle, UK - Cumberland Arms * Sun. Nov. 10 - Glasgow, UK - McChuills * Tue. Nov. 12 - Leeds, UK - Hyde Park Book Club * Wed. Nov. 13 - Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute * Thu. Nov. 14 - Cambridge, UK - Storey’s Field Centre * Sat. Nov. 16 - Falmouth, UK - The Cornish Bank * Sun. Nov. 17 - Frome, UK - The Tree House * Mon. Nov. 18 - Exeter, UK - Cavern Club * Wed. Nov. 20 - Ipswich, UK - St Stephens Church * Thu. Nov. 21 - London, UK - The Ivy House *
Tue. Dec. 03 - Lille, FR - L ‘Aéronef * Wed. Dec. 04 - Brugge, BE - Cactus Café * Fri. Dec. 06 - Haldern, DE - Pop Bar * Sat. Dec. 07 - Hamburg, DE - Nachstasyl * Sun. Dec. 08 - Berlin, DE - Neu Zunkunft * Tue. Dec. 10 - Cologne, DE - Subway * Wed. Dec. 11 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso * Thu. Dec. 12 - Brussels, BE - Botanique * Fri. Dec. 13 - Paris, FR - La Boule Noire *
* Full band show + Duo with Oliver Hamilton
Below a Massive Dark Land is available for preorder on CD/LP/DSPs from Sub Pop/Memorials of Distinction. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com (North America), Mega Mart 2 (UK/EU), independent retailers worldwide, and Naima’s live shows will receive the limited Loser edition vinyl on Blue Jay (US) and the eco-friendly Yellow Bio (UK/EU) (All whilst stock lasts!). Naima also created the art for the Below… album cover.
What People Are Saying About Naima Bock: “What is abundantly clear is that Bock’s creative star is very much with her.” 8/10 - Uncut
★★★★ MOJO
“Amid a flurry of excellent new tracks ahead of Naima Bock’s second album, the romantic, timeless sweep of ‘Kaley’ is the pick of the bunch, that rich and resonant vocal playing magically off a melodic, punchy line of saxophone.” ‘Best of the Month’ - The Quietus
“A folky hymn to regret with a lovely, loping pace and sweetly lazy horn refrain” [“Feed My Release”] The Guardian
“…Features the kind of compelling vocal performance and lush, classy pop-rock orchestration we’ve come to expect from the British-Brazilian singer-songwriter.” [“Feed My Release”] STEREOGUM
“Marked by inner strength, the pervasive musicality of Naima’s work reaching fresh heights” [“Gentle”] CLASH
“Bock’s somnambulant vocals here bounding over a jubilant burst of fuzzy guitar and saxophone. It’s ace.” [“Kaley”] The New Cue
“Fans of Naima’s earlier work, and frankly that should be all of you, will be delighted with the familiar playful instrumentation, and swaying majesty of the choruses, while those looking for something new will be delighted by the subtle choppiness of the rhythms” [“Kaley”] For The Rabbits
“Horns blaze away, powering a glorious melody allowing Naima Bock the freedom to show off the potency of her vocal range. Make no mistake, it’s a cracker.” [Kaley] “Tracks of the Week” God Is In The TV
Naima Bock Below A Massive Dark Land
Tracklisting: 1. Gentle 2. Kaley 3. Feed My Release 4. My Sweet Body 5. Lines 6. Further Away 7. Takes One 8. Age 9. Moving 10. Star
Today, Naima Bock shares “Feed My Release,” a new single and visualizer from Below a Massive Dark Land, her forthcoming second album.
Naima says of the song, “‘Feed My Release’ is mostly about regret. It’s a simple song I thought wasn’t worth recording for a long time until I started singing it with violinist Oliver Hamilton, and his harmonies brought it to life. Then, Holly Whitaker joined along with her amazing voice, as well as Cassidy Hansen, Clem Appleby, and Meitar Wegman, adding their parts, and the song in its current form was born! It’s a very collaborative arrangement & recording; everyone’s contribution to it is really their own.”
Below a Massive Dark Land will be available Friday, September 27th, 2024, worldwide through Sub Pop and Memorials of Distinction. Below… is the follow-up to Giant Palm, one of 2022’s most critically acclaimed debuts.
Naima’s previously announced international tour dates for the summer and autumn of 2024 to support Below a Massive Dark Land continue with a show tomorrow night, Thursday, September 5th in Arcata, CA, at The Miniplex and currently ends Friday, December 13th in Paris at La Boule Noire. Along the way, Naima will perform solo (September 8th-15th), as a duo with Oliver Hamilton (November 6th), and with a four-piece band (November 7th-December 13th). Please find the dates below.
Thu. Sep. 05 - Arcata, CA - The Miniplex Sun. Sep. 08 - Portland, OR - Music Millennium (instore) Fri. Sep. 13 - Walla Walla, WA - Billsville West Sun. Sep. 15 - Seattle, WA - The Rabbit Box* Thu. Sep. 19th - Seattle, WA - Easy Street (instore)
Thu. Sep 26th - Portsmouth, UK - Pie & Vinyl (instore) Mon. Sep 30th - London, UK - Rough Trade West (instore) Sat. 19th Oct - Birmingham, UK - Future Days Festival* Mon. Oct. 21 - Boston, MA - Warehouse X1 Wed. Oct 23 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church Side Chapel Fri. Oct. 25 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool Sat. Oct. 26 - Washington, DC - Rhizome
Wed. Nov. 06 - London, UK - St. Pancras Old Church + Thu. Nov. 07 - Bristol, UK - Jam Jar * Fri. Nov. 08 - Liverpool, UK - Leaf * Sat. Nov. 09 - Newcastle, UK - Cumberland Arms * Sun. Nov. 10 - Glasgow, UK - McChuills * Tue. Nov. 12 - Leeds, UK - Hyde Park Book Club * Wed. Nov. 13 - Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute * Thu. Nov. 14 - Cambridge, UK - Storey’s Field Centre * Sat. Nov. 16 - Falmouth, UK - The Cornish Bank * Sun. Nov. 17 - Frome, UK - The Tree House * Mon. Nov. 18 - Exeter, UK - Cavern Club * Wed. Nov. 20 - Ipswich, UK - St Stephens Church * Thu. Nov. 21 - London, UK - The Ivy House *
Tue. Dec. 03 - Lille, FR - L ‘Aéronef * Wed. Dec. 04 - Brugge, BE - Cactus Café * Fri. Dec. 06 - Haldern, DE - Pop Bar * Sat. Dec. 07 - Hamburg, DE - Nachstasyl * Sun. Dec. 08 - Berlin, DE - Neu Zunkunft * Tue. Dec. 10 - Cologne, DE - Subway * Wed. Dec. 11 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso * Thu. Dec. 12 - Brussels, BE - Botanique * Fri. Dec. 13 - Paris, FR - La Boule Noire *
* Full band show + Duo with Oliver Hamilton
Below a Massive Dark Land was predominantly produced by Jack Ogborne (Bingo Fury) and Joe Jones, and recorded at The Crypt in north London, with additional production and arrangement by Oliver Hamilton (caroline, Shovel Dance Collective) and Naima herself. Six of the tracks on Below… were mixed by Jason Agel, with the remainder done by Ogborne and Jones. The album was mastered by Kevin Tuffy.
Below a Massive Dark Land will be available on CD/LP/DSPs and is available now for preorder from Sub Pop/Memorials of Distinction. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com (North America), Mega Mart 2 (UK/EU), and independent retailers worldwide will receive the limited Loser edition vinyl on Blue Jay (US) and the eco-friendly Yellow Bio (UK/EU) (All whilst stock lasts!). Naima also created the art for the Below… album cover.
Naima Bock Below A Massive Dark Land
Tracklisting: 1. Gentle 2. Kaley 3. Feed My Release 4. My Sweet Body 5. Lines 6. Further Away 7. Takes One 8. Age 9. Moving
Last month, Sub Pop and Memorials of Distinction shared details on behalf of Naima Bock’s Below a Massive Dark Land, her forthcoming new album. Today, she’s sharing the official video for the wistful new single “Gentle.”
Naima says of the song and video, “I’ve lived with this song for a couple of years. It’s a kind of copy and paste of different sections of my life, each verse is a different version of myself or situation I was in. None of them link in reality, but they fit together in this song, which leaves me with a sense of union and satisfaction. I would like to allow for the listener to take the lyrics in whatever way is relevant to them. I can say it’s my favourite song to play and one of my favourite songs that I’ve written. It means a lot to me.”
Directors Ellie Wintour and Sophie Lincoln offer this, “Our jumping off point for the video began with the lyrics ‘You want me to be gentle, fragile, you want me to stay young. I pray that I stay gentle, fragile, I pray that I stay.’ We developed Naima a character playing on femininity as facade, but also her sense of easygoing style. In using two-dimensional substitutes for three-dimensional objects – mixing worlds of the real and make-believe – we tried to play on the song’s themes of expectation, assigned roles, and conformity.”
Naima will release Below a Massive Dark Land on September 27th, 2024, worldwide through Sub Pop and Memorials of Distinction. Below… is the follow-up to Giant Palm, one of 2022’s most critically acclaimed debuts.
Naima’s previously announced international tour dates for the summer and autumn of 2024 to support Below a Massive Dark Land begin Thursday, August 15th in St. Malo, France at La Route Du Rock and end Friday, December 13th in Paris at La Boule Noire. Along the way, Naima will perform solo (August 22nd-24th, September 8th-15th), as a duo with Oliver Hamilton (August 14th and November 6th), and with a four-piece band (November 7th-December 13th). Please find the dates below.
Thu. Aug. 15 - St. Malo, FR - La Route Du Rock + Thu. Aug. 22 - Los Angeles, CA - Barnsdall Gallery Theatre ^ Fri. Aug. 23 - Los Angeles, CA - TBA Sat. Aug. 24 - Ojai, CA - Greater Goods Sep. 05 - Arcata, CA - The Miniplex Mon. Sep. 09 - Portland, OR - Music Millennium (instore) Fri. Sep. 13 - Walla Walla, WA - Billsville West Sun. Sep. 15 - Seattle, WA - The Rabbit Box Mon. Oct. 21 - Boston, MA - Warehouse X1 Wed. Oct 23 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church Side Chapel Fri. Oct. 25 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool Sat. Oct. 26 - Washington, DC - Rhizome Wed. Nov. 06 - London, UK - St. Pancras Old Church + Thu. Nov. 07 - Bristol, UK - Jam Jar * Fri. Nov. 08 - Liverpool, UK - Leaf * Sat. Nov. 09 - Newcastle, UK - Cumberland Arms * Sun. Nov. 10 - Glasgow, UK - McChuills * Tue. Nov. 12 - Leeds, UK - Hyde Park Book Club * Wed. Nov. 13 - Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute * Thu. Nov. 14 - Cambridge, UK - Storey’s Field Centre * Sat. Nov. 16 - Falmouth, UK - The Cornish Bank * Sun. Nov. 17 - Frome, UK - The Tree House * Mon. Nov. 18 - Exeter, UK - Cavern Club * Wed. Nov. 20 - Ipswich, UK - St Stephens Church * Thu. Nov. 21 - London, UK - The Ivy House * Tue. Dec. 03 - Lille, FR - L ‘Aéronef * Wed. Dec. 04 - Brugge, BE - Cactus Café * Fri. Dec. 06 - Haldern, DE - Pop Bar * Sat. Dec. 07 - Hamburg, DE - Nachstasyl * Sun. Dec. 08 - Berlin, DE - Neu Zunkunft * Tue. Dec. 10 - Cologne, DE - Subway * Wed. Dec. 11 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso * Thu. Dec. 12 - Brussels, BE - Botanique * Fri. Dec. 13 - Paris, FR - La Boule Noire *
^ Supporting Angelo De Augustine * Full band show + Duo with Oliver Hamilton
Below a Massive Dark Land was predominantly produced by Jack Ogborne (Bingo Fury) and Joe Jones, and recorded at The Crypt in north London, with additional production and arrangement by Oliver Hamilton (caroline, Shovel Dance Collective) and Naima herself. Six of the tracks on Below… were mixed by Jason Agel, with the remainder done by Ogborne and Jones. The album was mastered by Kevin Tuffy.
Below a Massive Dark Land will be available on CD/LP/DSPs and is available now for preorder from Sub Pop/Memorials of Distinction. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com (North America), Mega Mart 2 (UK/EU), and independent retailers worldwide will receive the limited Loser edition vinyl on Blue Jay (US) and the eco-friendly Yellow Bio (UK/EU) (All whilst stock lasts!). Naima also created the art for the Below… album cover.
Naima Bock Below A Massive Dark Land
Tracklisting: 1. Gentle 2. Kaley 3. Feed My Release 4. My Sweet Body 5. Lines 6. Further Away 7. Takes One 8. Age 9. Moving 10. Star
On September 27th, Naima Bock will release Below a Massive Dark Land worldwide through Sub Pop and Memorials of Distinction. Her second album, Below… comes as the follow up to Giant Palm, one of 2022’s most critically acclaimed debuts. Along with the album announcement Naima has shared the video for the lead single ‘Kaley’ (directed by Cassidy Hansen) and the animated visualizer accompanying single ‘Further Away’ (directed by Gaia Alari).
Speaking of the tracks, Naima says: “Kaley was written whilst staying at a friend’s house in Tucson, or at least it was finished there. It’s about betrayal and the subsequent lack of direction that follows. At the time there was no ‘plan’ or ‘way’ that I had for myself, let alone anyone else.”
“‘Further Away’ was written in Greece whilst trying to learn mini Bouzouki and missing someone.”
“‘Kaley”’ feels fresh and surprising in its rug-pull choppiness but is distinctly Naima in its swinging, jubilant choruses. Meanwhile, from its humble beginnings, ‘Further Away’ is fleshed out just enough while drawing you irresistibly near in its simplicity.
The success of Naima’s debut, Giant Palm, led to a mammoth period of touring. With headline tours including London’s EartH and support shows for artists such as A. Savage, J Mascis, Squid, Rodrigo Amarante, Arab Strap, Katy J Pearson, This is the Kit, and more, Naima’s feet have hardly touched the ground since 2022.
Today, fresh off the back of a solo tour with Porridge Radio’s Dana Margolin, Naima has also announced international tour dates for the summer and autumn of 2024 to support Below a Massive Dark Land.
They begin Wednesday, August 14th in St. Malo, France at La Route Du Rock and currently end Friday, December 13th in Paris at La Boule Noire. Along the way, Naima will perform solo (August 22nd, September 9th-15th), as a duo with Oliver Hamilton (August 14th and November 6th), and with a four-piece band (November 7th-December 13th). Please find the dates below.
Wed. Aug. 14 - St. Malo, FR - La Route Du Rock + Thu. Aug. 22 - Los Angeles, CA - Barnsdall Gallery Theatre ^ Sat. Aug. 24 - Ojai, CA - TBA Sun. Sep. 08 - Portland, OR - Music Millennium (instore) Fri. Sep. 13 - Walla Walla, WA - Billsville West Sun. Sep. 15 - Seattle, WA - The Rabbit Box Mon. Oct. 21 - Boston, MA - Warehouse XI Wed. Oct. 23 - Philadelphia, PA - The Parish Room (First Unitarian Church Fri. Oct. 25 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool Wed. Nov. 06 - London, UK - St. Pancras Old Church + Thu. Nov. 07 - Bristol, UK - Jam Jar * Fri. Nov. 08 - Liverpool, UK - Leaf * Sat. Nov. 09 - Newcastle, UK - Cumberland Arms * Sun. Nov. 10 - Glasgow, UK - McChuills * Tue. Nov. 12 - Leeds, UK - Hyde Park Book Club * Wed. Nov. 13 - Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute * Thu. Nov. 14 - Cambridge, UK - Storey’s Field Centre * Sat. Nov. 16 - Falmouth, UK - The Cornish Bank * Sun. Nov. 17 - Frome, UK - The Tree House * Mon. Nov. 18 - Exeter, UK - Cavern Club * Wed. Nov. 20 - Ipswich, UK - St Stephens Church * Thu. Nov. 21 - London, UK - The Ivy House * Tue. Dec. 03 - Lille, FR - L ‘Aéronef * Wed. Dec. 04 - Brugge, BE - Cactus Café * Fri. Dec. 06 - Haldern, DE - Pop Bar * Sat. Dec. 07 - Hamburg, DE - Nachstasyl * Sun. Dec. 08 - Berlin, DE - Neu Zunkunft * Tue. Dec. 10 - Cologne, DE - Subway * Wed. Dec. 11 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso * Thu. Dec. 12 - Brussels, BE - Botanique * Fri. Dec. 13 - Paris, FR - La Boule Noire *
^ w/ Angelo De Augustine * Full band show + Duo with Oliver Hamilton
Below a Massive Dark Land was predominantly produced by Jack Osborne (Bingo Fury) and Joe Jones, and recorded at The Crypt in north London, with additional production and arrangement by Oliver Hamilton (caroline, Shovel Dance Collective) and Naima herself. Six of the tracks on Below… were mixed by Jason Agel, with the remainder done by Osborne and Jones. The album was mastered by Kevin Tuffy.
Below a Massive Dark Land will be available on CD/LP/DSPs and is available now for preorder from Sub Pop/Memorials of Distinction. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com (North America), Mega Mart 2 (UK/EU), and independent retailers worldwide will receive the limited Loser edition vinyl on Blue Jay (US) and the eco-friendly Yellow Bio (UK/EU) (All whilst stock lasts!). Naima also created the art for the Below… album cover.
More on Naima Bock’s Below a Massive Dark Land: Most of the writing of Naima Bock’s second album, Below a Massive Dark Land, was a solitary affair. It may not sound it – it’s made up of strong, purposeful arrangements with a huge host of musicians; filled with cradling space and warm light. This will also come as a surprise to anyone who has seen Naima perform in the time since the release of her 2022 debut Giant Palm, undoubtedly a communal experience.
With a band of ten, three, or even just solo, when Naima plays there’s a rare bond between the musicians on stage and the audience. In their interview with her, The Quietus declared “after every song the applause and cheering is immense, so immense in fact that it seems to be coming from a different place than the usual formalities of a live show, a link between performer and artist forged somewhere deeper and more personal.”
It was in Giant Palm’s music too, a record that sweeps and swells, a chorus of voices and instrumentation that rises and falls as one alongside Naima’s own somersaulting voice.
It’s true though, most of Below…’s songs started life very simply; Naima alone, living in her grandmother’s shed in South London, writing just with her voice, guitar and violin. She’s no violin virtuoso but had taken it up as a songwriting exercise for its ability to draw melodies from her – a trick that undoubtedly worked, these are songs that drift into the back of your mind and settle there like fallen leaves, songs you wake up singing. The remainder was written on the road after those moments of audience connection, in the quiet that follows.
There’s power in the solitary, too. Giant Palm was arranged with collaborator Joel Burton, but going it alone in search of something truly hers, Naima found she was capable of more. “After me and Joel stopped working together,” she remembers, “it was an impossibility to even fathom doing arrangements myself, but then I started learning violin. Playing it isn’t easy but writing melodies on it is”. Finding that she could go it alone was incredibly powerful for Naima, “I think I needed it, to be able to feel proud of something. Like, that’s me! That feels good.”
Once that writing portion is over, though, this ends. The record is not a stark, stripped-back affair. Below… still has that majesty that made Giant Palm so remarkable. Tugging the first record down from the skies and spreading it across the earth; there’s a newfound vocal power and confidence born from hundreds of hours on stage, and the music sounds fuller, more tangible, but no less enveloping.
This can be found in Below a Massive Dark Land’s 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 irresistibly near in 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 but imbues them with the kind of stark confessional songwriting of Mount Eerie. Lyrically reaching deeper and darker than Giant Palm, these are ambitious, rich arrangements.
Past Praise For Naima Bock Giant Palm:
“Exquisite solo debut” - ★★★★ MOJO
“Quiet, melancholy and occasionally divinely uplifting (8/10)” - Uncut
“A real gem..” (“Album of the Week”) - Stereogum
“A sharply observed, sumptuously arranged album of idiosyncratic folk.” - Pitchfork
“quietly dazzling….” - Brooklyn Vegan
“Hugely ambitious” (“Music of the Month”) - The Quietus
“…exquisite. A truly special listen” (8/10) - CLASH
★★★★ - DIY
“a stellar debut (8/10)” - The Line of Best Fit
“…an often brilliant debut” ★★★★ - All Music
“The fusion of her disparate cultural influences makes for an enchanting sound entirely Bock’s own.” [“Giant Palm”] - New York Times
Naima Bock Below A Massive Dark Land
Tracklisting: 1. Gentle 2. Kaley 3. Feed My Release 4. My Sweet Body 5. Lines 6. Further Away 7. Takes One 8. Age 9. Moving 10. Star
