The Gods We Can Touch

The Gods We Can Touch has been characterised to be an electropop record,[12][13][14][15][16] along with folk-pop,[14][17] ethereal,[17][16] art pop,[18][19] electro-folk,[16] and synth-pop.[16] The sound of the album incorporates an eclectic and multifaceted style,[14][20][16] set with vast soundscapes, electronic textures, Western elements, intimate orchestrations, multiple layers, and textures.[21][14] Musical influences of the record draws from a wide range of genres, such as jazz,[22] chamber pop, global music,[23] Latin music, and arena rock.[24] Aurora classified the album as its own genre due to its "chaotic" and "genre blending" sound.[25]

Marcy Donelson of AllMusic stated that "The Gods We Can Touch mixes natural, live-sounding vocals and acoustic instrumental performances with ethereal processed harmonies, drum machines, synthesizers, and various programming." The tracks "Exist for Love" and Artemis" were the only songs recorded on first takes, which "commit[ted] to a more spontaneous sound."[26] Aurora's sopranolike vocal performance throughout the album was described by many critics as "ethereal",[14][16][20][17] with interludes to songs that showcase her voice and vocal tone shifts.[21][12] Georgia Griffiths from The Music wrote that Aurora is "channelling Lana Del Rey, [and] the next it's Santigold" in her vocal performances on the record.[21]

A concept album like Aurora's previous releases, The Gods We Can Touch deviates from the concepts found on her tribal-inspired EP Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1) (2018) and album A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) (2019), in which she explored themes of empowerment, politics and ecological crisis.[14][27] Described by her as "chapter three of my life",[28] she revealed to be going to a more experimental direction with the album, and stated that it would not discuss themes like "doom, gloom, COVID and horror", instead of focusing on "more playful and fun" songs, whilst also referencing "a lot of things that bother [her] with society and our history".[11] The lyrical themes are heavily inspired predominantly by Greek mythology,[24][14][21] though Aurora acknowledged that some of them have references to Abrahamic and ancient Roman religions.[29][30] Furthermore, the styles of lyrical writing have been described as dark and disturbing, with a maximal and introspective style.[17][31][14] The lyrics throughout the songs of the record also talk about self-empowerment, abuse, heartbreak, morality and desire.[12][15]

"Everything Matters", the second track on The Gods We Can Touch, features vocals from French singer Pomme, marking Aurora's first collaboration in one of her albums.

The Gods We Can Touch opens with "The Forbidden Fruits of Eden", an interlude that takes its title from the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden that appeared in the biblical book of Genesis.[24] Composed of delicate harmonies, it "set[s] an explicitly religious tone" for the rest of the album.[15] The electronica and chamber pop ballad "Everything Matters" features French singer-songwriter Pomme with a spoken word outro in French language.[32][22][14] Inspired by the myth of Prometheus and the creation of humanity from clay, "Giving in to the Love", questions obsession with body image, while .[33] It incorporates electropop and power pop genres and contains tom tom strikes, a drum machine and echoey synths.[34][35] The baroque pop track "You Keep Me Crawling" deals with abuse of power in relationships where Aurora conveys "intensity and power in her vocals, while also showing vulnerability and softer moments."[8][36][37]

Aurora called "Exist for Love" her first love song.[38] It is a dreamy, retro-styled ballad accompanied by acoustic guitar and backing harmonies that moves into a soaring, strings-swept melody as she declares her love to her lover.[35][26] The following track, "The Innocent", is an upbeat dance-pop and house song with a Latin rhythm that is accompanied by syncopated chordal piano, brass and pizzicato strings.[39][23] Its production was described to be "harking back to the 1920s Jazz Age conventions, yet being undercut with a more current EDM feel."[22] "Exhale Inhale", a stark contrast to the previous song, contains a folk-inspired sound.[34][15] The track discusses the fear of several environmental issues "that awaits us" like wildfires and pollution.[40][41] "A Temporary High" has an 1980s-influenced synth-pop sound that breaks into a thumping electro beat.[37][42]

In "A Dangerous Thing", Aurora reflects on an abusive relationship, referencing the goddess of seduction Peitho, and showcases tone shifts from light harmonies to deeper verses.[15] The dark sonority of the song is backed by an acoustic guitar, light chimes and minimal drumming.[39] "Blood in the Wine" opens with a war cry reminiscent of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly against gentle acoustic guitar and thunderous percussion as it builds into a "collosus roar".[16] An electropop track, which was compared to the music of Fleetwood Mac, "This Could Be a Dream" is a subdued ballad driven by "a flowing melody over a slow beat", piano, orchestral strings and trumpets that talks about "finding strength when you have nothing left to give."[12][13][16] The Gods We Can Touch closes with the folk and orchestral pop cut "A Little Place Called the Moon".[26][15] One of her favourite songs from the album, Aurora felt that it was the "perfect ending" for the album.[43]

Aurora decided to release "Exist for Love" as the album's first single on 14 May 2020 because she felt "the world needs more love than ever".[49] "Cure for Me" was released as The Gods We Can Touch's next single on 7 July 2021.[50]

On 14 October, she released "Giving in to the Love" as the album's next single, and officially announced The Gods We Can Touch, and its release date of 21 January 2022.[45] On 2 December, she released "Heathens" was released as the album's fourth single.[51] "A Dangerous Thing" was released as a double single on 7 January 2022 with "Everything Matters", featuring French singer Pomme, as a B-side. The latter song was released as a promotional single only.[52]

"A Temporary High" served as the seventh single, released on 21 January 2022, alongside the album's release.[53] A music video was released on 27 January 2022.[54] "The Woman I Am", initially a vinyl-exclusive track, it was officially released on 4 April 2022 as the record's eighth single.[55]

On 3 December 2021, Aurora announced a virtual concert film titled A Touch of the Divine, released exclusively to Moment House on 25 January 2022, a week later after the album was released.[56] It was directed by Alexandra Green and produced by Bullion Productions and Mercury Studios.[57] A teaser was posted on 18 January 2022, while an official trailer was released two days later.[58][59] Described as a "worldwide digital experience", the film included six songs from the album that were accompanied by choreography and interludes spoken by Aurora herself.[56][60]

The album received further promotion from her fourth headlining concert tour, which was announced on 9 July 2021.[61] The tour will span across Europe and North America, starting on 13 February 2022 in Milan, Italy,[61] and set to conclude on 12–13 September in Barcelona, Spain.[62] The second leg of the tour visited North America in May and June 2022.[8]

The fourth track of the album, "Cure for Me" is set to be part of the main soundtrack of Just Dance 2024 Edition.[63]

• Aurora – art direction
• Leif Podhajsky – art direction, artwork, package design
• Xin Li – photography