On The Gods We Can Touch, Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora sings of love, power, sexuality, and freedom. She draws inspiration from Greek mythology and its “flawed” pantheon, blending fantasy with the mundane. The infectious melodies and transcendent vocals make the album an intense, emotive listening experience. Aurora delivers the lyrics with incisive surety, and her storytelling is spiritual and magnetic. 

Thematically, The Gods We Can Touch challenges society’s expectations of perfection. “If I’m not pure, I guess that I’m too much,” Aurora sings on “Giving In To The Love.” The album sends the message that no apology is due for being who you are, including aspects that might be perceived as flaws. Aurora, who identifies as queer, describes the single “Cure For Me” as being “very much inspired by conversion therapy,” which is still legal in her home country of Norway. “It doesn’t take much before the world tells you that you’re different, and that you should change yourself to be the same as everybody else, which is very sad,” she said in an interview with Genius. Sexual and spiritual freedom are also major themes on songs like “Heathens,” “Artemis,” and “Blood in the Wine.” 

The sound of the album alternates between looping dance melodies and slow, contemplative tunes. The production is a mix of synth/electro-pop elements and traditional instruments like guitar, piano, harp, and violin. The dual effect of deep-rooted stories drenched in modernity is what makes The Gods We Can Touch distinct. Aurora compels you to listen. Her voice cuts through the bombast of the melodies and makes the songs work. Her delivery is consistently sincere and unpretentious, even through the most sinister of lyrics. She delights in both love and destruction. The singer’s image shifts between innocent and twisted as she searches for humanity in divinity. 

Despite the fantastical inspiration behind most of the songs, there is something distinctly real about them. The Gods We Can Touch is not angelic or divine—that’s the point. Aurora crafts her story with bold strokes, and the result is a forceful and exhilarating album.

Sources:

Spotify

AURORA “Cure For Me” Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified