Beth Torrance, the enigmatic and emotive Tāmaki Makaurau based artist, announces her second EP, ‘Tiny Flowers’, set to release Friday, 18th October.
This deeply personal collection of songs explores the dynamic interplay of heartache and connection to the environment one inhibits, bringing forth a rich tapestry of sound and imagery.
‘Tiny Flowers’ is a reflective exploration of Torrance’s teenage years in Thames, a coastal town that serves as the emotional heart of the EP. “The first song I wrote was ‘Danby Field’ in 2021. Its emotional range encapsulates the EP’s essence, from bright catharsis to potent quietude, reflecting the fluctuating nature of heartache.”
The EP is imbued with themes of nostalgia, loneliness, and a profound connection to the whenua and the sea. Torrance describes the process of songwriting as a means to articulate and understand her feelings: “Often, it’s only once I’ve written a song that I’m able to fully express what I’m feeling. The EP explores enduring heartache and the struggle to reconcile reality with desire, particularly when you’re physically present in the place where it all happened.”
The recording process for ‘Tiny Flowers’ was a blend of intimate home recordings and studio sessions at Bigpop Studios, with Jacob Rush engineering the project. Noteworthy collaborations include Los Angeles-based musician Rigby, who contributed dreamy vocals to “Ankle Socks,” and violinist Pearl Hindley, whose contributions added a folky richness to tracks like “Angeline.” Torrance’s innovative approach is also evident in “Oh, Isn’t It So Beautiful, This Life?” – a spoken word piece recorded live to capture its raw, cathartic energy.
The EP offers the focus track, “Ankle Socks”, a standout song that explores themes of nostalgia and the passage of time. The song captures the poignant feelings of revisiting a familiar place or encountering a triggering scent, the story enhanced by its surreal, dreamy music video. Described as sprawling with its evolving structure, “Ankle Socks” was recorded at Bigpop's Drake Street Studios with engineer Jacob Rush and features raw demo vocals preserved by Torrance herself, re-recorded guitar parts, and plucked strings by Pearl Hindley. The music video, filmed at the artist’s home and Muriwai Beach, visually amplifies the song’s expansive and surreal nature, reminiscent of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. The artist hopes the song resonates with listeners, evoking a deep sense of place and memory.