Tor Elevates Us With Oasis Sky
Words by Hollie McGowan
When it became startlingly clear by March of 2020 that the world was dealing with a global pandemic, Vancouver based electronic music producer, Tor Sjogren, known professionally as Tor, did what the rest of us did: he lost it. “The first couple months of the pandemic I didn’t get anything done because I was just freaking out and refreshing the death tracker all the time.” He recalls.
Yet ironically for Sjogren, COVID-19 had actually come as a blessing in disguise. “Honestly, for me I think it was a good thing,” he reflects. It had been years since his last release, Blue Book, and his next full length was brewing deep in his creative enclave. “I had already intentionally kind of slowed down as much as I could before (the pandemic) hit. I was playing fewer shows and trying to get the album done.” After the initial panic had finally subsided, he was then able to return to his passion. “I found the inspiration to keep going through it, got really into the music, and was able to finish (the album).”
The past few years have witnessed Sjogren enter into the whirlwind of his own musical career as it began elevating, sending him on tours around the world to play shows and at festivals in Europe, the States, and Australia. “That had my head spinning.” Though an overall positive experience for Sjogren, it has also proven to be a difficult dance when attempting to compose a second album. “I find it difficult going between modes. Travelling, social, super out-there times,” He explains. “I can’t just flip a switch and go deep into studio headspace mode.”
By 2019, Sjogren was able to drop the side hustle gigs and devote himself entirely to his art just in time for the world to also go on pause. A personal journey back into his own inner musical core led him to explore new avenues of rhythm and sound while building on his already established atmospheric quality that he has become known for. “The last few years of my musical exploration culminates in this album,” Sjogren says. “The influences and experiences (that I have been having) just channelled into making the music. All of that comes through in the sounds that I’m enjoying and putting in the songs.”
As a result, what emerged from Sjogren’s studio at the end of April is nothing short of a musical masterpiece. Titled after the surroundings of his studio/living space, Oasis Sky reflects a deep meditative space; his own sanctuary of inner peace and tranquillity above the outer-worldly chaos. “This (album) was about being here (home) and creating something peaceful and grounding.”
Opening the album with “City 66”, Sjogren invites us all to return to that familiar grounded space with hints of nostalgia channelled through old wavey analogue cassette tape-quality sounds. “I’m definitely a big fan of that warped sound,” He points out. “I find it warm and atmospheric to have that pitch-bending (quality). I really like the aesthetic of old samples and vinyl.”
Moving next onto tracks such as “Foxglove”, “Riverline”, and “Inkeri”, Oasis Sky picks up the pace, conjuring feelings of travel and exploration yet still within a solitary mode. With “Kanta”, Sjogren utilizes vocal sampling and percussion with a tribal bent, bridging the melody with the beat in a way that is pulsating and hypnotic. Continuing on with “Lens”, “Lightracker”, “Red Tide”, “Crossing”, and ending with “Eleuthera”, the album pursues other areas of ambient, introspective, melodic terrain. Each track unfolds perfectly, littered with piano and harp samples that flutter and whirl, hovering above gentle yet steady drum patterns and tempos.
A global shutdown also gave Sjogren the chance to try his hand at releasing independently. Though he had previously been with a label, the sudden gift of time allotted him the chance to explore how releasing one’s own music actually works. “It's been a full-time job over the last seven months just figuring all of that out,” says Sjogren regarding having to learn about digital distribution, vinyl printing, marketing, social media advertising, getting artwork and animation completed and sending out press releases, to name a few. “It's stuff you don’t even realize and then you’re like, ‘Oh this needs to get done!’, or ‘How does that work?’”
So how is Sjogren feeling about emerging back into the performance world after delving deep into his own personal creative sojourn in the midst of a global pandemic? “I’m feeling really good about it,” he states with optimism. “Could be another roaring twenties. Everyone has been stuck inside for so long. Every single show, festival, event (that will be) happening, people are going to go out and do it. Myself included.” Living so much in the virtual realm for over a year now is, after all, nothing like having the real deal live. “You can’t beat the huge sound systems and energy of the crowd.”
Check out Oasis Sky here