There is more than a hint of later Massive Attack on this new record, which is not upbeat or easy to listen to – but is very well-judged
FKA twigs, MAGDALENE ★★★★
Tahliah Barnett has had a rough time of it, including a doomed romance with Robert Pattinson and ill health. But suffering is the fuel of creativity. Unclassifiable but leaning towards classical, FKA twigs’ soul-baring second album showcases her soprano vocals against eerie arrangements.
The result is not upbeat, but it is uncompromising. She is a highly visual artist (her videos are masterful), so it is odd just to listen, but her performances are so dramatic that it is good to have the chance to concentrate on the voice and ground-breaking production.
Opening track “a thousand eyes”, co-written with producer Nicolas Jaar, sounds like it could be performed in a church. “home with you” has something of Kate Bush buried deep within it and “fallen alien” builds exponentially, as twigs responds to her own call-and-repeat lyric. This, like many others on MAGDALENE has more than a hint of later Massive Attack about it.
Skrillex co-produces “holy terrain”, her collaboration with rapper Future in which she calls for a lover who can handle her. The title song reflects today’s understanding of the much-maligned apostle as proto-feminist – fully a sensual woman and powerful with it.
More of the same follows but, just when it verges on repetitive, along come the aching refrains of “cellophane” – the album’s first single – which was accompanied by an astounding video for which twigs trained to pole-dance for a year. At just over 37 minutes’ running length, MAGDALENE is brief but well-judged. It isn’t easy listening – but it’s worth it.
