Patience and introspection power Lucy Gooch’s Desert Window

Building upon the ethereal foundations of her earlier EPs, Rushing and Rain’s Break, Gooch expands her sonic palette, weaving in acoustic instrumentation and delving deeper into her folk roots. The result is a collection of tracks that are simultaneously emotionally resonant and sonically adventurous.

Experienced as a whole, start to finish you can truly feel push and pull of intimacy and expansiveness. This positioning of contrasting and opposing forces runs throughout. Opener "Like Clay", inspired by the landscapes and birdlife of Northumberland, showcases Gooch's layered vocals floating over a bed of looping guitar and bass patterns, capturing the essence of transformation and malleability, much like its title suggests.

"Night Window (Part One)" and "Night Window (Part Two)" serve as the album's centerpiece, a two-part exploration of nocturnal introspection. The first part is sparse and meditative, with Gooch's voice weaving through minimalistic synth textures. The second part introduces a more dynamic arrangement, incorporating saxophone lines that add a jazz-inflected depth to the composition. "Keep Pulling Me In" stands out with its ability to blend the surreal with the tangible. The tracks arpeggiated synths and stream-of-consciousness lyrics place you squarely into a dreamlike state as the song's structure mirrors the sensation of being drawn into a labyrinth, with Gooch acting as both guide and siren.

The album's exploration of folk and ambient textures continues by channeling the spirit of medieval English poetry with "Jack Hare" and "Clouds". The latter is particularly striking with its hauntingly stark cornet lines that lend the track an almost cinematic quality. "Our Relativity" is perhaps the album's most abstract piece, existing as a sonic collage that juxtaposes dissonant melodies with moments of clarity. It challenges the listener, demanding engagement and reflection.

The album concludes with its title track, "Desert Window", a culmination of the themes and motifs explored throughout the record. Here, Gooch's voice is at its most powerful, soaring over a rich tapestry of acoustic and electronic instrumentation. The song encapsulates the album's exploration of space, both literal and metaphorical, before wrapping things up with some semblance of closure, or more aptly contemplation.

Desert Window showcases Lucy Gooch's evolution as an artist. Her ability to blend diverse influences is uniquely her own, revealing new layers and nuances with each successive listen and it stands as a testament to the power of patience and introspection.