They’ve been keeping it low-key over the past few months, but now Australian band Tora are ready for a comeback with their new single “Why Won’t You Wait”. Meeting at the border of R&B and indie-pop, the group effortlessly oscillate between ethereal harmonic soundscapes and woozy hypnotic guitars on the track. Accompanying the single with a scenic video shot in forests of France and Belgium, the group enlist Dutch model Gigi Ringel for an artistic visual designed by Rein Kooyman.

“The song is about long-distance relationships and feeling trapped on the other side of the world from someone you love, afraid that too much time and space will make you drift apart,” the band revealed. “This might be a feeling many people are struggling with during the pandemic with borders closed and the world locked down.”

Spending the past year unifying as a band, the group came together to solidify their sonic identity and draw upon different inspirations. With their third album set for release early September, the group caught up with us talking the difficulties of creating an album during lockdown, experimenting with different sounds, and their reaction to gaining support from Elton John.

Check out the video and interview below now…

Hi Tora – how has the last year been for you as a band?
Strangely enough, it’s actually been a very unifying time for us as a band, as we have had the luxury of months and months in the studio together we really had the chance to dive deep together creatively and solidify our sonic and visual identity.

How would you describe your sound? Would you say it fits into a specific genre?
Our sound is a melting pot of genres, we draw inspiration from many places so it’s hard to place in a single genre, we tend to be genre-fluid and not box ourselves in with labels as much as possible. Some say indie electronic, chillwave, alternative pop, but in the end, we leave by the listener to decide.

Who would you say is your biggest musical inspiration?
There are many, a few of the key influences would be James Blake, Bon Iver, Frank Ocean, John Mayer, Bonobo, Little Dragon…but believe us, there are many more.

Congratulations on the release of “Why Won’t You Wait”, can you tell us about the meaning behind the song?
Thank you! The song is about long-distance relationships and feeling trapped on the other side of the world from someone you love, afraid that too much time and space will make you drift apart. This might be a feeling many people are struggling with during the pandemic with borders closed and the world locked down.

What inspired the music video for the song?
We worked with Bob Sizoo and Rein Kooyman on the video and the concept was inspired by string theory and particle entanglement, with an abstract idea that even when people are apart they are still entangled in each other on a level that is unseen by the naked eye.

This latest single is taken from your upcoming album A Force Majeure, what has it been like recording for this album?
For this album, the recording process was really smooth and enjoyable as we rented a nice studio in Amsterdam for the last year and filled it up with instruments, so we had lots of time and gear to experiment and hone in on the ideas. It really felt like the first proper studio album in that sense, as in the past we made our music in our lounge rooms and bedrooms for the most part.

This will be your third album, will it differ from the previous projects you have worked on?
I think this album is just another step further in our evolution, we put more time and focus into each component of the album from song meanings, lyrics, concepts, instrumentation, production and pretty much everything imaginable. We had the luxury of time during COVID so we were able to hone into the details more without touring and distractions of everyday life.

What would you say has been the most challenging part of recording an album during the pandemic?
I think the most challenging part was the lack of social interactions, this was a blessing and a curse as we had so much time but you need external energies to inspire and provoke thoughts, so without that it can take longer to reach creative breakthroughs.

In the past you have received support from the likes of Elton John and Annie Mac, what has it been like to get that type of recognition?
To be honest, it is totally weird, but it’s a nice affirmation and certainly helps us stay motivated when people recognize the work we do.

Which artist would you love to collaborate with in the future?
James Blake.