Our Top Albums of 2019 Our Top Albums of 2019 Our Top Albums of 2019
FKA TWIGS MAGDALENE
01 Uncompromising vision, sound design,
Jaar, Danial Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point
production, and sense of self is how
Never), and Skrillex, along with featuring
FKA twigs’ new album MAGDALENE
Future on the single “holy terrain.” The
can be understood. From twigs’ first
album’s first single, “cellophane,” is
whispers in 2012 with EP1, she has
perhaps the strongest tie twigs makes
developed a sound and image drawing
to her past self, and at once reminds us
from her London roots in trap, drone,
of her early single, “Two Weeks.” But it
grime, classical, and further. With
also works as the perfect punctuation at
MAGDALENE, twigs has taken full
the end of MAGDALENE, with its high
control of every aspect of the album’s
production value, twigs’ vocals at the
production and her attention to detail
fore, and the literally whispered beats.
is otherworldly. The album’s second
At its core, the album is an ode to the
track, “home with you,” highlights the
divine feminine archetype of wielding
diversity she can harness: barely audible
unmatchable power, while at the same
croons to pitched-out rap verses over
time being deeply emotional and the
fluttering flutes and sustained piano to
object of lustful desire. Most acutely felt
warbling beats. Though twigs maintains
on the title-ish track “mary magdalene,”
creative control of MAGDALENE, she
twigs is the perfect embodiment of this
brings several people into the studio to
archetype, but is, as it seems, out to
help with production, including Nicolas
destroy all archetypes. / NP
21