Laura Mock - ​home//body

Laura Mock

​home//body
self-released; 2024

By Dan Weston

Laura Mock, a New York City-based alternative singer-songwriter, channels the vast contrasts of her roots in Bangor, Maine—serenity and storm, nature and city—into her music. For Mock, songwriting is an intuitive fusion of lyric and melody, arriving fully formed as one inseparable entity. Her studies with composers Beata Hlavenkova and Joseph Church have sharpened this instinct, lending her work a striking coherence and depth.

Her latest release, home//body, a five-song EP, unfolds as a vivid showcase of her artistic sensibilities. It opens with “Acadia,” a delicate ballad that begins with a soft piano and shimmering ride cymbal, enveloping the listener in an intimate calm. Mock’s vocal range is stunning here, her performance weaving seamlessly into the song’s lush orchestration, accented by subtle, evocative horn arrangements.

“Landlocked” pivots toward a guitar-centered arrangement, its melancholy tinged with a quiet resilience. The track walks a fine line between introspection and hope, offering a layered, motivational undercurrent. The ethereal “Ribs” then floats in, capturing the fragility of inner turmoil with a dreamlike quality that lingers.

“CTC” shifts the momentum, driven by standout percussion and Mock’s striking vocal performance, which commands attention without overwhelming the intricate instrumental details. Closing the EP is “Rocky Shore,” an unexpected turn toward country-inspired textures and organic instrumentation. Its playful energy and vibrant hook are a departure from the EP’s reflective tone, offering a buoyant conclusion that feels both surprising and satisfying.

​With home//body, Mock delivers a work that’s as cohesive as it is exploratory, highlighting her knack for pairing thoughtful songwriting with polished production. It’s an EP worth savoring, each track unveiling new depths with every listen.

mockinglaura.com

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