Although Naima Bock is releasing her first widely-available song today, she is hardly a newcomer in the world of music. Born in Sao Paolo to a Greek-English mother and Brazilian father, Naima moved to South London at the age of seven and quickly invested herself in the area’s music history. She started attending gigs at the Windmill in her teens and started making music shortly after, soon becoming a member of bands that saw her tour internationally.
Now, she recallibrates and refocuses as an artist in her own right, with the help of collaborator Joel Burton (of the band Viewfinder). Her debut 7″ is being released through Sub Pop, and the A-side, “30 Degrees”, arrives digitally today, with the B-side coming in a couple of weeks. On “30 Degrees”, she says:
“This song came out of the adolescent duality of fear and freedom and deals primarily with goodbyes. The small ones, which feel so big, ‘some final word’ (goodbye to a long-term friendship) and the big ones, ‘the final sigh’ which can feel so small amidstthe clutter of surviving day-to-day.”
As someone who’s life was uprooted in their childhood, and has already toured plenty, Naima knows about goodbyes, and she brings that poignant and sharp feeling to the fore on “30 Degrees”. Her voice is low and rich, coasting atop the quietly clattering and subtly lush instrumentation, and in combination they create a powerful representation of the mixed feelings that crop up in such a moment – mournfulness and disappointment, but also glimpses of excitement and hope for the future. “30 Degrees” oozes and surprises across its run time, opening up new melodies and instrumental dimensions from imperceptible trap doors within the song, ensuring you discover more elements on each repeat listen.
Listen to “30 Degrees” below or on your preferred streaming platform.
Naima Bock’s “30 Degrees” b/w “Berimbau” single will be out on December 7 through Sub Pop, with a full-length coming in 2022. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
