Acclaimed indie folk artist boci has released her sophomore album ‘scenes from uniXia’. Following the critical success of her 2022 debut ‘we are each other, this will see us free’, the new album marks a bold evolution in sound and vision- arriving on limited edition 12-inch vinyl and accompanied by a headline UK tour.
Described by BBC 6 Music’s Tom Robinson as “disarmingly fresh and life-affirming” and praised by Songlines as “transcendental,” ‘scenes from uniXia’ is a deeply immersive concept record rooted in what boci calls a “psycho-magical” world first glimpsed during a guided meditation. In this self-created realm, the listener follows creature- a mythic protagonist- on a symbolic journey through transformation, self-annihilation, and rebirth.
Produced by Rob Pemberton (The Staves, Cosmo Sheldrake), the record spans sonic territory from lush indie-folk to cinematic alt-pop, experimental electronica to warped folk-rock. Second single ‘CYFYC’ emerges as a deceptively catchy indie anthem, while tracks like clean highlight boci’s folk roots with the help of melodeon player Archie Churchill-Moss and boci’s own fiddle and tin whistle. More electronic textures appear in ‘aXis’ and ‘this night is so long’, thanks to production from Bristol sound-shaper t l k. The epic closer ‘dreamstar’ features a sweeping string octet, cementing boci’s flair for splendid orchestration.
A shimmering collage of futurism and folklore, ‘scenes from uniXia’ affirms boci as a vital new voice in the UK’s experimental folk movement- blurring the lines between the ancient and the imagined.
Must listen: ‘the last leaf’