Is Aurora making a new album?

The Gods We Can Touch is the fourth album/major release by AURORA. It was released worldwide on January 21, 2022.[1][2]

Background

Aurora started writing for the album after she thought of its title in January 2019[3] and was mostly written in her apartment during a time without travel and stress.[4][5] She started talking about a new album shortly after releasing her previous album, mentioning a possible 2020 release.[6] In April that year, she hinted at working on two new albums, saying "the next album goes quite far – it goes beyond anything I've ever done."[7]

On October 28, 2019, Aurora mentioned that she is working on two albums at the same time, one of which she has said is "longer into the future." She then talked about the closer one, saying: "It's not connected to Step 2. It has its own story. The perspective is much bigger. It's still quite political, and it's still quite opinionated and it's also very emotional. It's even more about the individuals that make the army. It's an album for every individual within the big army of love." After that, Aurora said that this LP would be a standalone collection of songs and left a clue that "everything matters", mentioning that her fans would understand it.[8] Two years later a song with the same name was discovered.

During an interview with Fast Forward Magazine the following month, Aurora announced that she is actually working on three albums and that one of them (likely the one previously mentioned) is already started and will be even more emotional. "I want to create something that feels like a best friend to the people. Music is an emotional language, the language of love."[9] The Norwegian singer also established that this album will have a bigger perspective regarding what her latest work talks about. "I guess I'm going even wider with that perspective, more spiritual. And then maybe I'll go back really, really small again. It's really exciting."[10]

On December 3, 2019, Aurora revealed more information saying: "My next album will be dressed in an armor of hardness. But I'm also really exploring the soft, delicate part of me, which I want to open up even more on my next album. And I'm discovering more and more things I want to be more involved in, because I've discovered fans all over the world who live in cultures that are unfair towards the people... I want to use my voice for something good, even though it might not matter, but at least I am there to show support."[11] A few days later, Aurora indicated that she wished to release something in January 2020.[12]

The production for the album started on November, according to Aurora's interview with Billboard Japan, but she was still undecided on which album to release first.[13]

On February 1, 2020, Aurora posted a photo on her Instagram with a caption that includes a ton of supposed song titles. "The Seed" and "The River" were both marked, possibly meaning that she plans to release or produce all the titles in there. A week later, "The Wave" (which is an already registered song), "The Innocent", and "The Storm", were marked too.[14]

Two months after, Aurora mentioned in a live stream with Gay Times that a song was coming "sooner than expected" and that it is her favorite song that she will have put out so far.[15] The next month, an article on HTS revealed that new music was coming in May.[16]

On May 11, 2020, Aurora archived all her Instagram posts, and then, posted about a new song about love and starting the next era.[17] The next day, she announced her single, "Exist for Love", originally intended as the lead single. It was officially released on May 14.

After the premiere of the music video, Aurora indicated that she already wrote many songs for the album but that it was still in the making.[18] A few days after, she answered some questions about the upcoming record in the comment section of "Exist for Love" on YouTube: "It will be different from my other albums, but not all like Exist for Love,[19] "As any album I make, I need to have both contrast in everything I do. The album will be soft, and light, and heavy and dark. But it will be a different album",[20] "I have been working on it in the shadows for quite a long time now... But a few weeks ago I woke up one morning and I could see the whole concept really clearly in my mind, so its gotten real serious. I am having a lot of fun, it's going to be a very fun adventure writing this chapter".[21]

A second single was going to be released in late June/early July. According to an interview with Indierocks,[22] "A song seemed meaningless and unimportant at the time, and I think I should listen to the world and release my next single when I feel it's respectful, when I think it's time, sometimes it's not my voice that should be heard." Aurora also talked about a new music video and more singles.

On August 23, 2020 she mentioned the possibility of finishing the album in a "secret place" with nature, mountains and a cozy house by November.[23] Two weeks after, the Norwegian singer-songwriter confirmed to NME that her next release would not be another "step" and that people should expect "something completely different". "It's chapter three of my life, it's a very new world for me," she said. "I've gotten to explore some very new things within myself, which just makes it all the more fun. I'm asking questions to everything that made us the way we are now; in our past, in politics, religion, and in weird ways of thought we have created that make no sense – like racism, not being a feminist or burning women for being witches." When asked about more new music, she replied: "I have quite a lot ready already, but I've been wondering a lot about when's the right time. Sometimes there is so much happening in the world that it feels wrong to release a song if it's not a direct answer. It can feel a bit rude. I haven't had it in me yet, but maybe [I'll release more music] in the Autumn."[24]

In October 2020, Aurora stayed for a month at Baroniet Rosendal, an historic estate in Kvinnherad, Norway, to record for the album.[4][5]

In 2021, during a livestream for the release of her compilation EP For the Humans Who Take Long Walks in the Forest, Aurora described the album as "a strange one but a good one" and mentioned that she was still working on it.[25]

Aurora was interviewed by NRK on April 28 about the success of "Runaway". At the end, Aurora described her upcoming album as "It's pretty absurd. I think it has been a very absurd time, but also a good time that can remind us of a lot of forgetting in the chaos of the ordinary world. So it's a bit like that absurd music, at the same time as it's a bit cinematic".[26] The interview was featured on national late news TV.[27]

In an interview by Igor Saringer in May 2021, Aurora described the music as "very different but still very Aurora", also saying she "want[s] to bring a little bit of light into the world."[28] Not long after, Aurora hosted a YouTube livestream and answered a few questions about the release. Mentioning she was excited for the buzz around "Runaway" to calm down so she could release new music, she described the new lead single as "Different, but I think it's important to have a bit of humor. I think you'll understand what I mean."[29] Aurora also described the album's sound as more "sensual", with some songs in her lower vocal register.

The next month, Aurora said to KINK that the album is finished but she was "fixing things that don't need to be fixed".[30] Days later, she posted a video of her singing while holding a mask, hinting at a new release.[31] Soon after she posted another video confirming that a new song would indeed come "sooner than you think" and the same day she announced a game to start the song's promotion.[32]

"Cure for Me" was released on July 7, 2021, replacing "Exist for Love" as the album's lead single. The day before, Aurora did an interview with Bergens Tidende where she stated that her new album is finished, saying "before I left home, I listened to the latest version and approved it". The interview implied that "Exist for Love" was still the first single.[33]

During a Reddit AMA on July 13, Aurora stated that

"This era of my life is very influenced by the ancient times where theatre was all they had. no CGI or special effects etc. and I really wanted all these videos to feel very authentic, and down to earth! The shell in "exist for love" was handmade by someone, and I painted all the masks in "cure for me" myself! so I like it when it feels... human <3".[34]

On September 6, 2021, it was confirmed that the album was postponed to early 2022.[35] A few days later she revealed the place the album was recorded (the Barony in Rosendal) in an interview with Dagsavisen,[36] a possible release month (January) and the reason for its delay.[37]

On October 11, Aurora announced "Giving In to the Love" as the album's third official single. It was released worldwide on October 14, 2021 and the album was officially announced on the same day. Before the reveal, the tracklist and artwork had accidentally been uploaded online with the incorrect release date of January 7, 2022.

On October 18, an e-mail was sent through Aurora's mailing list with a link to a quiz for The Gods We Can Touch. The results revealed the related gods for all the announced songs on the album.[38]

On November 15, a variant of the album was added to Aurora's web store, titled "Artemis" (vinyl and cassette), featuring alternative cover art. In December and January two more variants appeared on the web store, titled "Oizys" and "Eros".[39][40][41][42]

On December 3, the fourth single, "Heathens" was released by surprise and soon after a live performance video of the song was published. On January 5, 2022, Aurora announced a new upcoming single via Instagram[43], tagging French singer-songwriter Pomme in the post, who did the same on her Instagram.[44] On January 7, "A Dangerous Thing" and "Everything Matters" were released on a single (titled after the former).[45]

The album was released on January 21, 2022 with "A Temporary High" charting as a single at the same time. A Touch of the Divine, a special event was webcasted a few days after the album's release. In March, Aurora embarked on the extended The Gods We Can Touch Tour.

Spring and summer 2022 saw the releases of previously vinyl-exclusive tracks "The Woman I Am", "The Devil Is Human" and "A Potion for Love", and acoustic versions of "A Temporary High" and "The Woman I Am". Press coverage of the releases stated that a deluxe version of the album is upcoming.[46]

About the album

In the promo text for her North America tour, Aurora noted:

"It's through those perceived flaws in even gods and goddesses that Aurora has been able to explore the redundant concept of shame. 'In short, this album is a celebration of the things we should never be ashamed of,' she adds. In the middle of it all we find core values like instinct, empathy and a sense of adventure. We also find acceptance, in Aurora's words, 'of what makes us different'."[47]

Track listing

Regular

The CD editions, cassette editions, alternative artwork vinyl editions and Glassnote vinyl editions have the following track listing:

Alternative tracklist vinyl

The Decca standard and white vinyl editions, and the Petroleum Records vinyl editions feature an alternative track listing; their track positions are different and "The Woman I Am" and "The Devil Is Human" are included, replacing "Giving In to the Love" and "You Keep Me Crawling" from the other editions. Additionally, several songs themselves are slightly different ("Heathens", "The Innocent", "Blood in the Wine" and "A Temporary High").

Their tracklist is as follows:

Possible Outtakes

It is possible that any of these may appear on a deluxe version of the album (particularly "A Potion for Love", which has been suggested to be on a deluxe before).

• "God of War"
• "Heaven"
• "Hermaphroditus"
• "Human Nature"
• "Life of Its Own"
• "Melancholia"
• "Midas Touch"
• "A Potion for Love"
• "Red Moon"
• "Revolution"
• "Silent Violence"
• "Wake Up"

Trivia

• Aurora mentioned "Exhale Inhale" and "A Little Place Called the Moon" as her favourite tracks on the album.[48]
• The album's original 2020 release schedule was delayed due to world events.[24]
  • It was later delayed again in 2021 due to "Runaway" going viral on TikTok.[47]
    • During the delay, "Giving In to the Love" and "You Keep Me Crawling" were written and added to the tracklist.
• The album and its alternative art versions feature cover photographs by Xin Li[49] and cover designs by Leif Podhajsky,[50][51] see the full shoot here.
• Some of the gods appearing in a promotional quiz are different from the ones Aurora noted as the inspiration for its songs elsewhere.[38][52]
• In early 2021, a fan commented on an Instagram post asking about the album's release. Aurora liked the comment and responded with three emojis; a sun, two lungs and a dead rose.[53]
• The different versions of songs that appear on some of the vinyl versions were not marketed or noted as such in pre-order or after its release.
• Asked to compare the album before it was released, Aurora said that about half the album sounds like the acoustic version of "Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)" and later said that "Heathens" is quite in tune with how the album sounds.[54][55]
• Inspirations for this album include darkness and light, good and bad, and love.[56]

References

1. ↑ https://aurora.lnk.to/TGWCT
2. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CVAySuij5cE/
3. ↑ https://title-mag.com/you-dont-need-a-cure-for-yourself-norwegian-pop-star-aurora-on-songwriting-self-doubt-and-community/
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.bt.no/kultur/i/x8dy0Q/aa-bli-kjemperik-virker-saa-forraatnende-for-sjelen
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://www.reddit.com/r/auroramusic/comments/skfm7f/
6. ↑ https://www.adressa.no/pluss/kultur/2019/08/30/Aurora-gir-ut-nytt-album-neste-%C3%A5r-19798172.ece
7. ↑ https://www.nme.com/news/music/aurora-inspiring-billie-eilish-chemical-brothers-explosive-new-album-different-kind-human-2472751
8. ↑ http://www.riffmagazine.com/qa/aurora-building-army-of-love/
9. ↑ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9cXfUSh23iOleO0gWKQx6hld0cVqpQXEkxAtTb40RU
10. ↑ http://popspoken.com/music/2019/11/aurora-neon-lights-singapore
11. ↑ https://motley.ie/interview-aurora/
12. ↑ https://www.nrk.no/hordaland/aurora-tek-turnepause-1.14816309
13. ↑ http://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/83125/2
14. ↑ File:Screenshot_2020-02-18_🐺AURORA🐺_(_auroramusic)_•_Instagram_photos_and_videos.png
15. ↑ https://www.pressreader.com/uk/gay-times-magazine/20190701/282664688938986
16. ↑ https://hitsdailydouble.com/the_bside&id=321248
17. ↑ https://twitter.com/AURORAmusic/status/1259896315498180608
18. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmXhLYliGXU&t=114s
19. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YDkrJaiCrw&lc=Ugzw1i_7omOnFd55K-x4AaABAg.98o5IKr3A_f98o6NJP8YVk
20. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YDkrJaiCrw&lc=Ugwh-KqA3CdENLyMIkd4AaABAg.98o5NZz3HQr98o5kisoQoj
21. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YDkrJaiCrw&lc=Ugx1xoQ62VS8WaIp0Q94AaABAg.98o3EGfZPYL98o4X3A_v57
22. ↑ https://www.indierocks.mx/musica/entrevistas/entrevista-con-aurora-2/
23. ↑ https://www.ba.no/aurora-har-dodsangst-og-sover-darlig-skal-spille-inn-album-pa-hemmelig-sted/s/5-8-1364689
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 https://www.nme.com/news/music/aurora-debuts-the-secret-garden-and-tells-us-about-new-album-progress-2744531
25. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX1gQQyAm68&t=547s
26. ↑ https://www.nrk.no/kultur/songen-aurora-skreiv-som-11-aring-er-blant-verdas-mest-populaere-1.15474924 (translated from Norwegian)
27. ↑ https://tv.nrk.no/serie/kveldsnytt/202104/NNFA23042821/avspiller#t=7m52s
28. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rLwikp3hqU&t=268s
29. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qywmIPUOg8M&t=1445s
30. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EWlBLBJPCI&t=478s
31. ↑ https://www.tiktok.com/@iamauroramusic/video/6977742192274099461
32. ↑ https://play.umusic.com/aurorarunner
33. ↑ https://www.bt.no/kultur/i/Ep0bdj/tanken-paa-at-noen-vil-kurere-homofili-fikk-aurora-til-aa-skrive-laat
34. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/popheads/comments/ojjh52/hello_my_warriors_it_is_aurora_here_meeep/h525zlz/?context=3
35. ↑ https://tv.nrk.no/serie/dagsrevyen/202109/NNFA19090621#t=1914s
36. ↑ https://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/2021/09/09/vi-ma-tviholde-pa-hver-seier-pa-alt-vi-har-fatt-til-ellers-kan-det-forsvinne-igjen-jeg-haper-alle-stemmer/
37. ↑ https://www.ba.no/den-nye-aurora-platen-kommer-i-januar/s/5-8-1696960
38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 https://digital.umusic.com/auroraquiz
39. ↑ https://shop.aurora-music.com/*/music/The-Gods-We-Can-Touch-Artemis-Vinyl/78Z01JML000
40. ↑ https://shop.aurora-music.com/*/music/The-Gods-We-Can-Touch-Oizys-Vinyl-Cover/79QA1JML000
41. ↑ https://shop.aurora-music.com/*/*/The-Gods-We-Can-Touch-Eros-Vinyl/7AKU0000000
42. ↑ https://shop.aurora-music.com/*/*/The-Gods-We-Can-Touch-Eros-Cassette/7AKR0000000
43. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CYW7W9cL5WC/
44. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CYW7W-kpBt8/
45. ↑ https://aurora.lnk.to/ADT1
46. ↑ https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/aurora-the-woman-i-am/ (a Universal Music affiliate)
47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 https://www.majesticdetroit.com/event/11303325/AURORA+Presents+The+Gods+We+Can+Touch+Tour/
48. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA52RlxqM_4&t=529s
49. ↑ https://www.xinliphotography.com/covers
50. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CYjdpdStdnv/
51. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CVxXFJENSk_/
52. ↑ https://youtu.be/Ej0eA-Fp-p8
53. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CKgqkFMlZhU/
54. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO1QTzF1uUc&t=390s
55. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CXG9zsDLp-e/
56. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inAm5PiBvZc&t=823s

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