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| photos stolen from the internet. |
Aurora Aksnes; professional Norwegian fairy and full-time magician of music. You may know her from her viral TikTok hit Runaway, or maybe from her whimsical majesty as “the voice of the North Wind” in Frozen 2 (or even from Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II if you’re an ultra-nerd like myself), however, for the observant eye--or dedicated fan, there is an abundance of depth to be discovered behind her artistry and success.
One who spends just a small amount of time watching her interviews will soon find that she is not typical of the mainstream pop artist. AURORA answers questions honestly. Once, when questioned about her activities aside from making music, she responded with, "I like to paint, read books, cook and masturbate." AURORA has an engaging sense of humor, is naturally silly, playful and displays a sense of childlike wonder and curiosity towards the world and her surroundings. She feels passionately and deeply towards the environment and the creatures that live within it, and is often found talking and writing about her fascination and respect for nature.
So, after reading her journal and thesis for her album The Gods We Can Touch, to say I was thrilled for What Happened To The Heart? would be an understatement. However, upon initial release in June this year, I was a taken aback by her direction. I felt the album to be too “poppy” for my liking, and very experimental with one song starting out with a dark-toned and angry feel and then suddenly dissolving into a house remix.
Truthfully, I do not think I was mentally prepared for the greatness of this album and its underlying themes. With a darkening global political atmosphere, I, myself, had been leaning into darker and heavier music--setting the tone a bit askew from the light bearing direction this album took on. But, with drastic life changes and a renewed sense of hope and appreciation towards life, I opened my heart and ears to this masterpiece and never turned back.
Echo of My Shadow. The album starts with a soft and nearly melancholy track: beautifully layered harmonies and harp-like sounds paired with a lyrical ending urging the listener towards hope. I found it to be a very interesting choice for the first song on the album, as it sounds more fitting for the final song of an album with a nearly-cliffhanger ending. However, I’d like to think this was intentional of AURORA. In Hinduism, Shiva (also known as The Destroyer) is one of the most worshiped gods. Hindus believe that everything in life is cyclical, and with every ending comes a new beginning, one that can be shaped and redefined to lead to a different fate than the last. This is the presence I feel from our beginning here, an ending that starts the cycle up once more.
To Be Alright follows suit accordingly, as it could very well be interpreted as a new soul wandering the Earth and searching for meaning, trying to figure out its place in the world and how to feel "alright." It seems childlike and inexperienced in lyrical content, longing to dance and mentioning in the pre-chorus a yearn to feel, "What the people talk about"--wondering how others find it so easy to exist.
Your Blood quickly became one of my favorites on the album. “When all inside you burns like a star / it's after you burn out that you are reborn again” reminiscent of the spiritual cyclical nature of life. Aurora's lyrics on this song outperform her typical soft and eerie vocals while venturing into some new territory, something strong and powerful coming in during her very catchy chorus. A sparkling, almost video game-like electropop outro is really the cherry on top for this groovy track. This song definitely became an anthem for me when I was working on re-building my life, reminding us of the strength and resilience that lies within us all.
The Conflict of The Mind is very reminiscent in soundscape of a previous single AURORA had released, a cover of Life on Mars? by David Bowie with ethereal enchantress vocals and synth backtrack. The music video seems to serve as the biggest hint for the intent behind its meaning: a family sitting at the dinner table, entirely quiet and disconnected. The lyrics speak of buried feelings and stories never talked about, suggesting a family in which one is inevitably loved but struggles to express their feelings, holding secrets behind closed doors.
Some Type of Skin is a confrontation of an anxiously attached human’s worst fear: separation. Although “we’re good people” and there may not necessarily be any bad blood, it seems it is time to move on. AURORA chooses to accept the things in which she cannot change and appreciate the little moments of their connection, but ultimately decides that she must build “some type of skin” and bear the overwhelming reality of being alone in order to obtain true peace. The 80s synth and drums bring a peppy feel to the underlying message. Possibly, these feelings are the beginnings of a break-up, naive in its positive outlook on what will be a difficult road ahead.
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The Essence is the song you listen to after the reality of separation sets in. By contrast to the overproduced indie-pop sound of the previous track, we are gifted an intimate acoustic moment--no bells and whistles to be found here. This track is the most raw-sounding on the entire album, by far. AURORA sings that maybe things will be alright, but for now it hurts to be “in touch with the essence of us”. If I were none the wiser on AURORA's backstory, I would have assumed this song to be solely based on a breakup alone. However, with lyrics such as, “I’ve mourned you now longer than I’ve known you,” it's possible she is referencing her ex-boyfriend who died in the neo-nazi terrorist attacks in Norway circa 2011 (regarded as the deadliest mass shooting in modern history with 69 dead in total). This grief could be much deeper than just the loss of a relationship.
Earthly Delights brings me back to the harmonies and catchy, dark synth beats I associate with AURORA, albeit still more experimental and gentle than her previous works. The sounds of birds chirping can be heard in the background, in addition to an acoustic guitar towards the latter half of the track. “There is no God in here without me, my dear” carries with it a powerful energy. The track builds up a sonic itch, which I believe is definitely scratched in the next song.
When The Dark Dresses Lightly has the most epic Count Dracula intro of all time. The heartbeat drums draw you in alongside her droning vocals. The chorus is incredibly groovy and I can’t help but dance as AURORA throws down some extremely impressive harmonies, essentially going every place possible within her range--all the while a folk-type mantra is repeated in the background. The ending has AURORA doing her first ever in-song scream, and the whole experience gives me chills. It is a must listen, if there is anything that can be taken from this review.
A Soul With No King. I’m sorry, did I mention it gets better? This track brings us back to a dark folk sound: violin, mandolin, sitar, native chanting, the whole nine yards. Then, once she’s got you there, in comes electric guitar and an orchestral trio, backed by speedy and consistent drumming. This song makes me feel like I am dancing through the fields of The Shire barefoot (this song should definitely be playing during Bilbo’s birthday party). Absolute banger. I love dark folk music such as Wardruna and Heilung, but something about it being sung in English and being able to resonate more with the lyrics, makes it all the more powerful. Chef’s kiss.
Dreams boasts ethereal singing that does, in fact, make me feel like I am watching the moon from a rooftop, daydreaming about living in a fairytale with a majestic white horse to my side. The lyrics describe exactly that, one who daydreams and uses escapism to its fullest extent. This song kisses me goodnight with its beautiful classical acoustic guitar and airy harmonizing. Undoubtedly a favorite.
My Name (feat. Ane Brun) is extremely futuristic in sound, with autotune and EDM elements contrasted mid-track with Lindsey Stirling-reminiscent violin. Ane Brun was one of AURORA’s favorite singers growing up, and their story comes full circle on this track. With Ane being nearly 50, her vocals contrast AURORA’s higher octave, adding a spooky vibe, for lack of a better term--which is fitting considering the song’s existentialist lyrics. This track is one of my favorites on the album, and I could not stop myself from placing it on repeat in the car.
Do You Feel gives me a central instrument I am familiar with as a percussionist, one I have not heard in a song since high school: the beloved wood block. The bassline and synth are extremely catchy alongside, with a subtle 80s disco touch thrown in there. With lyrics like, "Never give up this feeling," this song was crafted for the dance floor.
Starvation is clearly the most sonically diverse song on the album, starting off with marching band snares chipping away, a flute popping in, and a classical guitar riffing away. Then, bam, the song undergoes a transformation and transitions into EDM, with tuned down vocals and all, until we are met with a house ending. The lyrics speak of technology addiction, with the starvation of human connection being the focus. I resonate with the underlying message, but to be completely honest, the house threw me off a bit. I’m certain this song would sound amazing in a DJ set... Ironic amidst the criticisms embedded in these lyrics.
The Blade is another one of my favorites. The cadence AURORA uses to sing the lyrics, paired with the bassline, feels atmospheric. We are building a world here that could also be perfectly fitting for a James Bond movie. The theme here is feminine rage, and it is artfully expressed in power. I can’t put my finger on exactly what percussive instrument comes in towards the ending, but it sounds like some sort of detuned chimes or marimba, but it comes together to make a wonderful and unique mix.
My Body is Not Mine is definitely still one of my favorites for how often it gets stuck in my head... However, I am genuinely curious if they sampled Pingu’s "noot noot" sound. I seriously cannot listen to this song without hearing the "noot noot." The ending to this track goes into much more of a metal direction than any of her other songs. It simultaneously reminds me of that one anti-piracy ad from the early 2000s that was meant to play before The Matrix.
Invisible Wounds. This final song addresses the recurring theme in needing to let go of someone. It speaks of trying and failing to stitch up invisible wounds of codependency, and the reality that no matter how much she feels like they need each other, they cannot fix one another and must take time to tend to their own "invisible wounds." I feel this song could also go in the direction of being a message to her fans. Specifically, she says, "Oh, wouldn't it be tragic if there is no light in me / not any magic," which could be referencing her fans', myself included, otherworldly view of her--meanwhile she is only a human with limitations. She can recognize her own need for her fans as well, but knows there are limitations to this love. The song ends like a hymn, ethereal harmonizing vocals in an open space. A very interesting choice to finish off the album.
AURORA is a literal angel who has descended upon Earth to share her music with us common folk, and I am living for it. No, but in all seriousness, I think this album can resonate with so many of us and accomplishes both putting amazing indie pop music into the scene with depth--a feat that I find incredibly hard for most mainstream artists to accomplish without sounding cheesy and P.R.-glorified.
It works because AURORA is, and always has been, very much herself. Her energy is extremely refreshing and unfiltered. No management team has been able to control her, and nothing can stop her from putting amazing art into the world. In her published journal, she describes feeling like she wasn’t meant for the industry, and that she doesn’t know how long she will be doing music, but that she does not think it will be her forever occupation. For however long she puts her poeticism into the cosmos, AURORA will always have a fan in me.
10/10
Stream What Happened to The Heart?
-Izzy
See AURORA on tour.
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