The collaboration between Norwegian singer Aurora and the Chemical Brothers’ Tom Rowland was a surprise highlight at Coachella. Before the event, Tomora wasn’t on my radar. By accident, due to my TV lagging, I stumbled upon their performance of two ethereal Nordic women pounding giant drums to a techno beat. I noted to check them out the next weekend, as Drain was my priority. I later discovered Tomora is a collaboration between Aurora and Tom Rowlands.
Their set was amazing, prompting me to listen to the album, “Come Closer,” immediately after. Though the studio album doesn’t quite capture the ecstatic Coachella performance, it’s still remarkable, exploring ‘90s European dance music styles like big beat, trip hop, and techno.
The title track begins with ghostly vocal drones and Aurora chanting “come closer to me,” building until she passionately pleads for human connection. The song resets, with another build-up to Aurora’s vocal brilliance over Rowland’s electronics.
Next is the trip hop-inspired “Boy Like You,” followed by the full rave mode of the lead single “Ring the Alarm.” Its relentless melody and powerful vocal performance make it an instant classic — possibly my most played song of the year, even after just two weeks of listening.
“My Baby” and “I Drink the Light” echo classic Chemical Brothers’ psychedelic-pop style, similar to “Let Forever Be,” “Wide Open,” and “Setting Sun” in Rowland’s catalog. On record, Tomora is more restrained compared to their live performance. The tracks are dancey, but not overly bombastic, with some being slinky, like the Massive Attack-esque “The Thing,” leaving space for Aurora’s harmonies.
“Somewhere Else” and “In a Minute” are other pure dance tracks with beautiful melodies backing the beats. It’s hard not to dance to these songs.
“Come Closer” by Tomora is available on major streaming platforms, including Apple Music, YouTube Music, Qobuz, Deezer, and Spotify.