Tors Discusses the Ideas Behind Their New EP

INTERVIEW

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INTERVIEW ✦

Tors

Just a few months ago, UK's indie sensation Tors unveiled their latest EP titled Miracle, featuring four standout songs — “Miracle,” “Tell You,” “Happy Enough,” and “Only For You,” pulling inspiration from complexly nuanced relationship dynamics that embodies a remarkable coalescence of captivating melodies and adept, fundamental artistry.

However, after dropping one of their most ambitious projects to date — the trio has made an unexpected return with an emotionally gripping A Cappella version of their popular acoustic track “Only For You,” giving the hit 2024 song an even greater purpose than anyone could have ever expected.

Now, after amassing several million views, an excess of streams, and an assortment of high caliber live shows on the horizon, Tors is speaking to Stardust about their creative goals and some of the influences behind the group’s new music.

Congratulations on your recent release! Can you walk us through the initial idea behind Miracle and your new track “Still Life”?

Tors: The Miracle EP is a collection of songs we wrote over the span of around 6 tours in as many months that accidentally turned into this cohesive body of work that we feel really encapsulates that particular time in our lives as band. Still Life is a song about realising you’re in a relationship stuck on autopilot. You’re both going through the motions of what you’ve been told love looks like and you’re comfortable but you’re not truly happy. It’s your last rallying call to arms, knowing that if you don’t work to change things now you might stay this way forever. 

Considering that Woodstock played a heavy role in the production of Miracle – how would you describe its overall impact on the EP?

Tors: Environment is always such an important thing to us when it comes to feeling creatively free and inspired. Woodstock and the surrounding countryside were such an immense shock to the system on our first visit since they’re so unlike the quaint, rolling hills of the Devon countryside. We fully immersed ourselves in the mountains and forests, baptizing ourselves regularly in the creeks, waterfalls and natural pools - really trying to soak up some of the frontier magic the area evokes. It definitely helped steer the EP into a more organic, stripped back sound in certain songs. 

With all of these new concepts and ideas you were able to pull from, how does the EP compare to your earlier work? Is there one specific change, or difference that stands out to you? 

Tors: It definitely feels like a step towards the band we’ve always imagined we are, the songs feel cleaner in their production but somehow wider too. We play every single instrument you hear on the record and made a conscious effort to make it as close sonically to what it’s like hearing us at a gig. 

You’ve stated that this album helped you become that artists you’ve always envisioned yourselves as – and that’s a powerful thing to recognize. Is there a song that best represents that transformation on Miracle? 

Tors: The song ‘Miracle’ itself it’s probably the best example. It’s a song detailing our experiences as a band chasing such an unrealistic dream but being uncompromising in our attempts to get there. It’s a hopeful statement of intent and while it feels like we’re on the right path we’ll always be reaching for the next thing. 

Tors

How do you hope listeners will connect with the emotions and messages conveyed in the new songs on Miracle?

Tors: We hope they find some words or comfort or at least some words of solidarity to connect with. It’s a funny thing releasing such personal songs you never know if people are going to fully be able to relate but it’s always our intention. 

What were some of the highs and lows you encountered while creating Miracle, and how did they contribute to shaping the final product?

Tors: It’s been such a whirlwind it’s hard to pick out anything particular among the haze of it all. We recorded this EP across two trips to the US in between touring and it feels like a fever dream of late night recording sessions, modelos and mosquitos. The whole process was very cathartic and we tried to attack every song from a state of instinct without overthinking too much, hopefully that kind of energy comes across in the songs. 

Now that you’ve attained a massive goal with this EP, in what ways do you envision your music continuing to evolve in the future, and what can fans anticipate from Tors moving forward? 

Tors: Hopefully we keep sounding bigger and better and the songs we write continue to connect with our fans. All we can do is be as honest with ourselves as possible and write the music we’d want to hear. They can expect plenty more music, touring and general nonsense from us.