REVIEW: Australian Electronic Act Tora Recalibrate On Third Album ‘A Force Majeure’
At this point in history, the narrative of “band + COVID = cancel” has become synonymous with anything written in 2020. While the concept may sound like a broken record, it is the unfortunate truth for virtually every musician in the industry. Australian chill-pop act Tora were one of many to be affected by the outcome of the virus, leaving their hometown of Byron Bay for the beautiful city of Amsterdam as an anchor point for their upcoming world tour. Eventually the strict lockdown procedures left them stranded in The Netherlands but not without the time, space, and motivation to write their third album A Force Majeure.
Continuing the two-year window in between albums, it follows their richly-textured 2019 album Can’t Buy The Mood and their 2017 debut full length Take A Rest, once again bringing listeners their signature indietronica style of warm guitars, bubbling synthesizers, and the cool, haunting croon of lead vocalist Jo Loewenthal. On Can’t Buy The Mood, the group dove into the idea of buying happiness, while their debut album was a grab-bag of songs influenced by their worldly travels as a band. Their third album feels more of a mirror to Take A Rest, a collection of songs that were influenced by the complete opposite: lockdown. Self-reflection, heightened use of technology, spending time with partners, monotony of the days – all topics depicted in the band’s storytelling (often in a very literal tone, i.e. “Put Down Your Phone”).
Lyrically, the group don’t leave much to the imagination – there are certainly moments that are quite on the nose, but what makes Tora such a compelling act is their sound. Opening with the glossy, piano-lead “In Deeper”, the group set the tone for the new record. While their previous albums had a handful of upbeat songs that teetered into the territory of dance-pop, A Force Majeure feels more tame and steady. The electronic influences borrow less from soul and funk and more from ambient and trance, allowing Loewenthal’s sultry vocal style to slip across subtle rhythms and decorative synthesizers.
Nevertheless, the authenticity and candidness of their lyrics on hits “When Will I Learn” and “Put Down Your Phone” bring a highly relatable and relevant presence. Not even thirty seconds into the latter song, and Loewenthal begs “Put down your phone for a second / So I can have your attention / Put your phone for one minute / So we can have a conversation”.
Speaking on the song, the band said: “This song is about being absolutely infatuated by somebody, whilst simultaneously being afraid that they are stringing you along, leading you to believe a false reality, it’s about being afraid to fully trust somebody because they make you feel so good that you fear how much power they wield over you. This was one of the last additions to the album, in the late stages of recording the album we discovered this idea which came together really fast and had this different energy so we felt compelled to include it.”
That familiar, lingering sense of worry drips through the record, finding its way onto “Call On Me”, a song written about fictional characters pursuing each other while trapped in a hostile town, or “When Will I Learn”, one of the most “lockdown-esque” tracks on the record as they self-reflect on the harsh realities of life and the need to face problems head on to solve them. Bare-boned, the song repeats the line “When will I learn” over a steady minor chord progression, flourished by ethereal synthesizers tones and percussion.
A Force Majeure certainly feels fluid and consistent, but the group add a few welcomed guest verses from undiscovered British vocalist Molly Nicholson after connecting over the internet on “How Long”, as well as Byron Bay-based jazz vocalist Asha Franco on closing track “Metanoia”. The lush, female vocals on both tracks add a stunning angelic quality to the track list, letting Tora act more as a backing band.
Overall, Tora miss the mark on crafting any new, captivating hits on this third collection, but nevertheless manage to create something enjoyable and consistent despite the circumstances of the past year.
Listen to the album below:
