MAGDELANE is the second album from the incredible FKA Twigs and
with astonishing production and vocals, it’s her greatest work yet.
The album gains inspiration from the complex New Testament character, Mary Magdalene and how her character has been altered by years of constant change by the oppressive nature of male figures within the church.
‘thousand eyes’ opens the album. It’s a hypnotising mix of layered
medieval-like and classical vocals over a steady, pounding drum and simplistic, yet beautiful piano flow together perfectly for the songs first half before it becomes a more experimental synth-based piece.
‘holy terrain’ is the only song on the album with a featuring artist. Future
holds his acclaim well and delivers a fantastic verse but is overshadowed by
Twigs’ insane vocal talent. ‘mary magdalene’ starts slow and features a
plethora of ethereal instruments creating a perfect ambience, before breaking down into an incredible array of stunning noise.
Perhaps my favourite song on the record is ‘fallen alien’. Twigs shows a
fierce aggression on this song, “When you fall asleep, I’ll kick you down” she sings before a heavy bass kicks in and her singing style turns into a spiteful sneer.
The album is finished by the first single released ‘cellophane’. Twigs
reflects on past relationships here when she asks “Didn’t I do it for you?” in
a truly heart-breaking track and a perfect end to an incredible album