Emiliana Torrini sets old love letters to music on “Miss Flower”
Published: Wednesday, Jun 19th 2024, 11:20
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A box of old love letters was the catalyst for new songs by Icelandic singer and songwriter Emiliana Torrini. The result is a wonderfully summery album.
Emiliana Torrini achieved international success 15 years ago with her lively catchy tune "Jungle Drum" and the uproarious "Rro-ka-doong-ka-doong-ka ro-ka-roo-ka-doong-doong". Fans of the film trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" have long appreciated the Icelander with Italian roots. In 2002, she sang "Gollum's Song" for "The Two Towers", the second part of the fantasy series. The versatile singer has been a little quieter of late. Now she is back with her first album in ten years and will be touring again this summer. In Switzerland, she will be performing in Geneva and Winterthur.
"Miss Flower" is the name of the album, which is based on a box of love letters that a close friend inherited after the death of her mother. The addressee of the letters was Geraldine Flower, whom Torrini herself had known well. This Miss Flower allegedly had a very eventful love life. She is said to have received nine marriage proposals, but never married. The letters were not only from men," Torrini reported. "We've started reading some of these letters. The writers must have been obsessed with her.
Sixties-Sexiness
The stories in the letters from the old days were so crazy that Torrini felt inspired. "It had such a sixties sexiness," says Torrini and laughs, "so I asked my girlfriend if I could make a song about it." Over a period of two years, one song became more and more, until Torrini finally had material for an entire LP.
Torrini, who has lived in the UK for many years, creates fascinating worlds of sound on her eighth studio album that are a pleasure to listen to. The songs inspired by the letters deal with great feelings ("The Golden Thread"), desire ("Miss Flower") and self-determination and an unclear connection between Geraldine Flower and a CIA employee ("Black Water").
The dreamy "Dreamers" is somewhat reminiscent of the sound of Goldfrapp. The title track "Miss Flower", which reads like a letter, sounds like a sexually charged declaration of love. The gentle, danceable "Black Lion Lane" is also wonderful. The original, eclectic mix of songs is pleasantly relaxed - the perfect soundtrack for both balmy and rainy summer evenings.
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