With less than a month to go until the release of her debut album, London-based songwriter Naima Bock keeps the stream of quality singles flowing with “Campervan”. She says:
“This is a song about the falling apart of a relationship and the bleak impact that it seems to have on us as humans and the renewal that it can provide afterwards. We thought it would be fun to approach the song from a more tongue in cheek perspective; Joel Burton’s arrangements draw on western cowboy nostalgia as well as orchestral influences such as ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ by Joaquin Rodrigo and ‘Pure Imagination’ from the 1971 Willly Wonka film. The process of writing the song was a joyful and creative one, turning something depressing into something that doesn’t take itself too seriously whilst preserving the poignancy and melodrama of heartache.”
Bock sums it up perfectly with that final line; “Campervan” is ripe with melancholy but refuses to fall flat beneath it. Instead, the light drums bob with restless energy over bright piano chords while violin melodies weave their way between Bock’s thoughts with a dusty country-western tone that gives everything a subtle uplift. This all perfectly services Bock’s lyricism, which, while delivered with the weight of disappointment, focuses on moving upwards and onwards in search of the positivity of turning a new leaf. It yields an aural dance between depression and inspiration that unfolds in whisky-soaked slow motion across five mesmeric minutes.
Watch the video for “Campervan” below or listen on streaming platforms.
Naima Bock’s debut album Giant Palm arrives on July 1 through Sub Pop / Memorials of Distinction (pre-order/save). You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
