FKA twigs releases EUSEXUA Afterglow
I have to admit I was nervy about FKA twigs’ EUSEXUA Afterglow. Its release so soon after EUSEXUA felt rushed. I worried about the quality of the release and its ability to hold its own as a stand-alone project. But thankfully my worries proved needless. And while I don’t think EUSEXUA Afterglow is quite as good as its predecessor, it’s still a great album.
Between FKA twigs’ ethereal vocals and the reverb soaked, synth heavy instrumental parts, the dreamy dance vibes hold this whole release together, delivering a record with a clear statement. Around this, it leans into enough variety to keep things interesting, moving subtly between moods and style without shifting the project too far away from its core sound.
I feel there’s been a general move in dance music to recognise that it still ‘needs’ to be lyrically interesting (I’m not sure if needs is the right word – but it’s like they’ve given themselves permission, as a genre, to develop this more). The result is that it deepens your experience with the music. I found I was really listening to tracks on EUSEXUA Afterglow for more than just the surface level ‘vibe’ and surprisingly some of my favourite takeaways from the album are little lyrical snippets like “You’re more awkward than a stop-start animation” (Predictable Girl) and “Would you be surprised to know that my karaoke song is ‘Gasolina’?” (Sushi)
Track wise, there are numerous highlights. Wild and Alone (with PinkPantheress) is a stunning example of where collaboration not competition can lead to something magical. I love the way the intro just slowly creeps you into the song, and the vocals and the texture of the track throughout are all just perfect. It could be all too easy for an established act like FKA Twigs to distance herself from up and comers such as PinkPantheress and I love that instead she’s embracing what this fresh talent can bring to her art form.
Cheap Hotel is another favourite of mine. On the face of it, it’s probably the catchiest track on the album, but I also really enjoyed its complexity. Every time I listen I hear something different, whether it’s the playing with the tempo, the slight industrialised layers that subtly creep in, or the fact that the vocals are just a little too distorted at times and you have to really concentrate to catch all the words.
Overall, I found this album a tad less ‘in your face’ than EUSEXUA. Taken as a whole, EUSEXUA Afterglow feels a bit more laid back. Tracks take a little longer to build, or dance around a little more stylistically. I don’t dislike either option and I think it’s something that helps give this album its unique identity. I’m always happy to be proven wrong and I’m glad this wasn’t the rushed “get me off my label” project I thought it was. NOTE: I literally have no evidence that this is how FKA twigs is feeling but it’s always my first thought when projects come out so closely together.
Listen to EUSEXUA Afterglow here.
Find out more about FKA Twigs here.