Magdalene/ FKA Twigs, ambient pop

By Narendra Kusnur 

Album: Magdalene
Artiste: FKA Twigs
Genre: Ambient pop
Label: Young Turks
Rating: ****

Listen to the first few lines of British singer-songwriter FKA Twigs’ ‘Thousand Eyes’, the opening track of her latest album Magdalene, and you're reminded of new age star Enya. The tempo builds up gradually, the crashing drum beats appear at regular intervals, and lines like “If I walk out the door it starts our last goodbye; If you don't pull me back, it will open a thousand eyes” enchant you.

Born to a Jamaican father and British mother, Twigs believes in producing the offbeat. Her experimental and avant garde style may need a kind of weird, acquired taste to be absorbed, but she blends genres seamlessly, hopping between new age, electronica, Kate Bush-inspired presentations, British folk and, on one song, urban rap.

Everything isn’t pleasing to the ear though – the second track ‘Home With You’ is a classic example of the art of rambling on without any direction. Despite a strong hook, ‘Holy Terrain’, featuring rapper Future, is actually a bundle of confusion, trying to mash up too many diverse styles haphazardly.

Yet, Twigs scores with her lyrical skills and flexibility of voice, aided at times with a falsetto. The keyboard-driven instrumentation is heady, and tempos are changed with ease. Check out ‘Daybed’, where she sings “Careful are my footsteps, possessive is my daybed” and “Lower is my ceiling, pressing are my feelings.” Set against a spooky and ambient synthesiser backdrop, this is an absolute beauty.

‘Mary Magdalene’, inspired by the Biblical character, talks about the role of contemporary women among orthodox archetypes. Another highlight is ‘Sad Day’, where she sings “Every time you look outside your window, Everything is the same as before, You are turning round and round, You are, it's a sad day for sure.”

Most songs talk of heartbreak and longing, and the finale ‘Cellophane’ goes well with the theme. Coming five years after her LP1, Magdalene showcases a natural growth for Twigs. Don’t expect any miracles on the first few listens or think of any chart-breaking records, but if you’re looking for honest songs with depth, this is perfect.